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“ Turan, the Slave I ” they cried “ Death to him ! ”

IPas^e 301]

THE CHESSMEN
OF MARS

BY

EDGAR RICE BURROUGHS

AUTHOR OF

AT THE EARTH’S CORE,

THE MARS BOOKS,

THE TARZAN BOOKS, Etc.

GROSSET & DUNLAP

PUBLISHERS MEW YORK

Made in the United Sutes of Amencn

Copyright

Edgar Rice Burroughs
1922

Published November, 1922
Copyrighted in Great Britam

54 6^0 5.

Printed in the United States of America

-2:

^ THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

PRELUDE

JOHN CARTER COMES TO EARTH

SHEA had just beaten me at chess, as usual,
and, also as usual, I had gleaned what ques-
tionable satisfaction I might by twitting him with
this indication of failing mentality by calling his
attention for the nth. time to that theory, propounded
by certain scientists, which is based upon the asser-
tion that phenomenal chess players are always found
to be from the ranks of children under twelve, adults
over seventy-two or the mentally defective — a
theory that is lightly ignored upon those rare oc-
casions that I win. Shea had gone to bed and I
should have followed suit, for we are always in
the saddle here before sunrise; but instead I sat
there before the chess table in the library, idly blow-
ing smoke at the dishonored head of my defeated
king.

While thus profitably employed I heard the east
door of the living-room open and someone enter.
I thought it was Shea returning to speak with me
on some matter of tomorrow’s work; but when I
raised my eyes to the doorway that connects the
two rooms I saw framed there the figure of a
i

2

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

bronzed giant, his otherwise naked body trapped
with jewel-encrusted harness from which there hung
at one side an ornate short-sword and at the other
a pistol of strange pattern. The black hair, the
steel-gray eyes, brave and smiling, the noble fea-
tures— I recognized them at once, and leaping to
my feet I advanced with outstretched hand.

“John Carter!” I cried. “You?”

“None other, my son,” he replied, taking my
hand in one of his and placing the other upon my
shoulder.

“And what are you doing here ? ” I asked. “ It
has been long years since you revisited Earth, and
never before in the trappings of Mars. Lord! but
it is good to see you — and not a day older in ap-
pearance than when you trotted me on your knee
in my babyhood. How do you explain it, John
Carter, Warlord of Mars, or do you try to ex-
plain it?”

“Why attempt to explain the inexplicable?” he
replied. “ As I have told you before, I am a very
old man. I do not know how old I am. I recall
no childhood ; but recollect only having been always
as you see me now and as you saw me first when
you were five years old. You, yourself, have aged,
though not as much as most men in a correspond-
ing number of years, which may be accounted for
by the fact that the same blood runs in our veins;
but I have not aged at all. I have discussed the

JOHN CARTER COMES TO EARTH -3

question with a noted Martian scientist, a friend
of mine; but his theories are still only theories.
However, I am content with the fact — I never
age, and I love life and the vigor of youth.

“And now as to your natural question as to what
brings me to Earth again and in this, to earthly
eyes, strange habiliment. We may thank Kar
Komak, the bowman of Lothar. It was he who
gave me the idea upon which I have been experi-
menting until at last I have achieved success. As
you know I have long possessed the power to cross
the void in spirit, but never before have I been able
to impart to inanimate things a similar power.
Now, however, you see me for the first time pre-
cisely as my Martian fellows see me — you see the
very short-sword that has tasted the blood of many
a savage foeman; the harness with the devices of
Helium and the insignia of my rank; the pistol
that was presented to me by Tars Tarkas, Jeddak
of Thark.

“Aside from seeing you, which is my principal
reason for being here, and satisfying myself that
I can transport inanimate things from Mars to
Earth, and therefore animate things if I so desire,
I have no purpose. Earth is not for me. My every
interest is upon Barsoom — my wife, my children,
my work; all are there. I will spend a^quiet eve-
ning with you and then back to the world I love
even better than I love life.”

4

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

As he spoke he dropped into the chair upon the
opposite side of the chess table.

“You spoke of children,” I said. “Have you
more than Carthoris?”

“A daughter,” he replied, “ only a little younger
than Carthoris, and, barring one, the fairest thing
that ever breathed the thin air of dying Mars. Only
Dejah Thoris, her mother, could be more beauti-
ful than Tara of Helium.”

For a moment he fingered the chessmen idly,
have a game on Mars similar to chess,” he
said, “very similar. And there is a race there that
plays it grimly with men and naked swords. We
call the game jetan. It is played on a board like
yours, except that there are a hundred squares and
we use twenty pieces on each side. I never see it
played without thinking of Tara of Helium and
what befell her among the chessmen of Barsoom.
Would you like to hear her story?”

I said that I would and so he told it to me, and
now I shall try to re-tell it for you as nearly in
the words ot The Warlord of Mars as I can recall
them, but in the third person. If there be incon-
sistencies and errors, let the blame fall not upon
John Carter, but rather upon my faulty memory,
where it belongs. It is a strange tale and utterly
Barsoomian.

CHAPTER I

TARA IN A TANTRUM

Tara of Helium rose from the pile of silks
and soft furs upon which she had been re-
clining, stretched her lithe body languidly, and
crossed toward the center of the room, where, above
a large table a bronze disc depended from the low
ceiling. Her carriage was that of health and physi-
cal perfection — the effortless harmony of faultless
coordination. A scarf of silken gossamer crossing
over one shoulder was wrapped about her body ; her
black hair was piled high upon her head. With a
wooden stick she tapped upon the bronze disc,
lightly, and presently the summons was answered
by a slave girl, who entered, smiling, to be greeted
similarly by her mistress.

“Are my father’s guests arriving?” asked the
princess.

“Yes, Tara of Helium, they come,” replied the
slave. I have seen Kantos Kan, Overlord of the
Navy, and Prince Soran of Ptarth, and Djor
Kantos, son of Kantos Kan,” she shot a roguish
glance at her mistress as she mentioned Djor
Kantos’ name, “and — oh, there were others, many
have come.”

5

6

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

“ The bath, then, Uthia,'' said her mistress. '‘And
why, Uthia,’^ she added, "do you look thus and
smile when you mention the name of Djor Kantos ? ”

The slave girl laughed gaily. "It is so plain to
all that he worships you,” she replied.

" It is not plain to me,” said' Tara of Helium.
^'He is the friend of my brother, Carthoris, and
so he is here much; but not to see me.- It is his
friendship for Carthoris that brings him thus often
to the palace of my father.”

"But Carthoris is hunting in the north with
Talu, Jeddak of Okar,” Uthia reminded her.

" My bath, Uthia ! ” cried Tara of Helium. " That
tongue of yours will bring you to some misad-
venture yet.”

"The bath is ready, Tara of Helium,” the girl
responded, her eyes still twinkling with merriment,
for she well knew that in the heart of her mistress
was no anger that could displace the love of the
princess for her slave. Preceding the daughter of
The Warlord she opened the door of an adjoining
room where lay the bath — a gleaming pool of
scented water in a marble basin. Golden stanchions
supported a chain of gold encircling it and leading
down into the water on either side of marble steps.
A glass dome let in the sunlight, which flooded the
interior, glancing from the polished white of the
marble walls and the procession of bathers and
fishes, which, in conventional design, were inlaid

TARA IN A TANTRUM

7

with gold in a broad band tha?t circled the room.

Tara of Helium removed the scarf from about
her and handed it to the slave. Slowly she de-
scended the steps to the water, the temperature of
which she tested with a symmetrical foot, unde-
formed by tight shoes and high heels — a lovely
foot, as God intended that feet should be and sel-
dom are. Finding the water to her liking, the girl
swam leisurely to and fro about the pool. With
the silken ease of the seal she swam, now at the
surface now below, her smooth muscles rolling
softly beneath her clear skin — a wordless song of
health and happiness and grace. Presently she
emerged and gave herself into the hands of the
slave girl, who rubbed the body of her mistress
with a sweet smelling semi-liquid substance con-
tained in a golden urn, until the glowing skin was
covered with a foamy lather, then a quick plunge
into the pool, a drying with soft towels, and the
bath was over. Typical of the life of the prin-
cess was the simple elegance of her bath — no ret-
inue of useless slaves, no pomp, no idle waste of
precious moments. In another half hour her hair
was dried and built into the strange, but becoming,
coiffure of her station; her leathern trappings, en-
crusted with gold and jewels, had been adjusted
to her figure and she was ready to mingle with the
guests that had been bidden to the midday function
at the palace of The Warlord.

8 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

As she left her apartments to make her way to
the gardens where the guests were congregating,
two warriors, the insignia of the House of the
Prince of Helium upon their harness, followed a
few paces behind her, grim reminders that the as-
sassin’s blade may never be ignored upon Barsoom,
where, in a measure, it counterbalances the great
natural span of human life, which is estimated at
not less than a thousand ’years.

As they neared the entrance to the garden an-
other woman, similarly guarded, approached them
from another quarter of the great palace. As she
neared them Tara of Helium turned toward hei
with a smile and a happy greeting, while her guards
knelt with bowed heads in willing and voluntary
adoration of the beloved of Helium. Thus always,
solely at the command of their own hearts, did the
warriors of Helium greet Dejah Thoris, whose
deathless beauty had more than once brought them
to bloody warfare with other nations of Barsoom.
So great was the love of the people of Helium for
the mate of John Carter is amounted practically to
worship, as though she were indeed the goddess that
she looked.

The mother and daughter exchanged the gentle,
Barsoomian, kaor ” of greeting and kissed. Then
together they entered the gardens where the guests
were. A huge warrior drew his short-sword and
struck his metal shield with the flat of it, the brazen

TARA IN A TANTRUM

9

sound ringing out above the laughter and the speech.

“ The Princess comes ! ” he cried. Dejah Thoris f
The Princess comes! Tara of Helium!” Thtis
always is royalty announced. The guests arose;
♦he two women inclined their heads ; the guards fell
bfc:k upon either side of the entrance-way ; a num-
ber of nobles advanced to pay their respects; the
laughing and the talking were resumed and Dejah
Thoris and her daughter moved simply and natu-
rally among their guests, no suggestion of differing
rank apparent in the bearing of any who were there,
though there was more than a single Jeddak and
many common warriors whose only title lay in
brave deeds, or noble patriotism. Thus it is upon
Mars where men are judged upon their own merits
rather than upon those of their grandsires, even
though pride of lineage be great.

Tara of Helium let her slow gaze wander among
the throng of guests until presently it halted upon
one she sought. Was the faint shadow of a frown
that crossed her brow an indication of displeasure
at the sight that met her eyes, or did the brilliant
rays of the noonday sun distress her? Who may
say! She had been reared to believe that one day
she should wed Djor Kantos, son of her father’s
best friend. It had been the dearest wish of Kantos
Kan and The Warlord that this should be, and Tara
of Helium had accepted it as a matter of all but
accomplished fact. Djor Kantos had seemed to ao»

lO

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

cept the matter In the same way. They had spoken
of it casually as something that would, as a matter
of course, take place in the indefinite future, as, for
instance, his promotion in the navy, in which he was
now a padwar; or the set functions of the court of
her grandfather, Tardos Mors, Jeddak of Helium;
or Death. They had never spoken of love and that
had puzzled Tara of Helium upon the rare occa-
sions she gave it thought, for she knew that people
who were to wed were usually much occupied with
the matter of love and she had all of a woman’s
curiosity — she wondered what love was like. She
was very fond of Djor Kantos and she knew that
he was very fond of her. They liked to be together,
for they liked the same things and the same people
and the same books and their dancing was a joy,
not only to themselves but to those who watched
them. She could not imagine wanting to marry
anyone other than Djor Kantos.

So perhaps it was only the sun tha:t made her
brows contract just the tiniest bit at the same in-
stant that she discovered Djor Kantos sitting in
earnest conversation with Olvia Marthis, daughter
of the Jed of Hastor. It was Djor Kantos’ duty
immediately to pay his respects to Dejah Thoris
and Tara of Helium; but he did not do so and
presently the daughter of The Warlord frowned in-
deed. She looked long at Olvia Marthis, and though
she had seen her many times before and knew her

TARA IN A TANTRUM

iti

well, she looked at her today through new eyes
that saw, apparently for the first time, that the
girl from Hastor was noticeably beautiful even
among those other beautiful women of Helium.
Tara of Helium was disturbed. She attempted to
analyze her emotions; but found it difficult. Olvia
Marthis was her friend — she was very fond of her
and she felt no anger toward her. Was she angry
with Djor Kantos? No, she finally decided that
she was not. It was merely surprise, then, that she
felt — surprise that Djor Kantos could be more in-
terested in another than in herself. She was about
to cross the garden and join them when she heard
her father’s voice directly behind her.

‘‘ Tara of Helium ! ” he called, and she turned to
see him approaching with a strange warrior whose
harness and metal bore devices with which she was
unfamiliar. Even among the gorgeous trappings of
the men of Helium and the visitors from distant
empires those of the stranger were remarkable for
their barbaric splendor. The leather of his har-
ness was completely hidden beneath ornaments of
pfatinum thickly set with brilliant diamonds, as were
the scabbards of his swords and the ornate holster
that held his long, Martian pistol. Moving through
the sunlit garden at the side of the great Warlord,
the scintillant rays of his countless gems envelop-
ing him as in an aureole of light imparted to his
noble figure a suggestion of godliness.

12

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

“Tara of Helium, I bring you Gahan, Jed of
Gathol,” said John Carter, after the simple Bar-
soomian custom of presentation.

“Kaor! Gahan, Jed of Gathol,'’ returned Tara
of Helium.

“My sword is at your feet, Tara of Helium,’*
said the young chieftain.

The Warlord left them and the two seated them-
selves upon an ersite bench beneath a spreading
sorapus tree.

“Far Gathol,” mused the girl. “Ever in my
mind has it been connected with mystery and
romance and the half -forgotten lore of the ancients.
I cannot think of Gathol as existing today, possibly
because I have never before seen a Gatholian.”

“And perhaps too because of the great distance
that separates Helium and Gathol, as well as the
comparative insignificance of my little free city,
which might easily be lost in one corner of mighty
Helium,” added Gahan. “But what we lack in
power we make up in pride,” he continued, laugh-
ing. “We believe ours the oldest inhabited city
upon Barsoom. It is one of the few that has re-
tained its freedom, and this despite the fact that
its ancient diamond mines are the richest known
and, unlike practically all the other fields, are today
apparently as inexhaustible as ever.”

“Tell me of Gathol,” urged the girl. “The very
tfiought fills me with interest,” nor was it likely that

TARA IN A TANTRUM

the handsome face of the young jed detracted any-
thing from the glamour of far Gathol.

Nor did Gahan seem displeased with the excuse
for further monopolizing the society of his fair
companion. His eyes seemed chained to her ex-
quisite features, from which they moved no further
than to a rounded breast, part hid beneath its jew-
eled covering, a naked shoulder or the s)nTimetry
of a perfect arm, resplendent in bracelets of bar-
baric magnificence.

‘‘Your ancient history has doubtless told you
that Gathol was built upon an island in Throxeus,
mightiest of the five oceans of old Barsoom. As
the ocean receded Gathol crept down the sides of
the mountain, the summit of which was the island
upon which she had been built, until today she
covers the slopes from summit to base, while the
bowels of the great hill are honeycombed with the
galleries of her mines. Entirely surrounding us is
a great salt marsh, which protects us from invasion
by land, while the rugged and ofttimes vertical
topography of our mountain renders the landing of
hostile airships a precarious undertaking.”

“That, and your brave warriors?” suggested
the girl.

Gahan smiled. “ We do not speak of that except
to enemies,” he said, “and then with tongues of
steel rather than of flesh.”

“ But what practice in the art of war has a peo-

14

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

pie which nature has thus protected from attack?'^
asked Tara of Helium, who had liked the youngf
jed's answer to her previous question, but yet in.
whose mind persisted a vague conviction of the
possible effeminacy of her companion, induced,
doubtless, by the magnificence of his trappings and
weapons which carried a suggestion of splendid
show rather than grim utility.

*‘Our natural barriers, while they have doubt-
less saved us from defeat on countless occasions,
have not by any means rendered us immune from
attack,*^ he explained, ** for so great is the wealth
of Gathol’s diamond treasury that there yet may
be found those who will risk almost certain defeat
in an effort to loot our unconquered city ; so thus we
find occasional practice in the exercise of arms ; but
there is more to Gathol than the mountain city. My
country extends from Polodona (Equator) north
ten karads and from the tenth karad west of Horz
to the twentieth west, including thus a million square
haads, the greater proportion of which is fine graz-
ing land where run our great herds of thoats and
zitidars.

“ Surrounded as we are by predatory enemies our
herdsmen must indeed be warriors or we should
have no herds, and you may be assured they get
plenty of fighting. Then there is our constant need
of workers in the mines. The Gatholians consider
themselves a race of warriors and as such prefer

TARA IN A TANTRUM

15

not to labor in the mines. The law is, however,
that each male Gatholian shall give an hour a day
in labor to the government. That is practically the
only tax that is levied upon them. They prefer
however, to furnish a substitute to perform this
labor, and as our own people will not hire out for
labor in the mines it has been necessary to obtain
slaves, and I do not need to tell you that slaves
are not won without fighting. We sell these slaves
in the public market, the proceeds going, half and
half, to the government and the warriors who bring
them in. The purchasers are credited with the
amount of labor performed by their particular
slaves. At the end of a year a good slave will have
performed the labor tax of his master for six years,
and if slaves are plentiful he is freed and permitted
to return to his own people.”

“You fight in platinum and diamonds?” asked
Tara, indicating his gorgeous trappings with a
quizzical smile.

Gahan laughed. “ We are a vain people,” he ad-
mitted, good-naturedly, “and it is possible that we
place too much value on personal appearances. We
vie with one another in the splendor of our ac-
coutrements when trapped for the observance of
the lighter duties of life, though when we take the
field our leather is the plainest I ever have seen
worn by fighting men of Barsoom. We pride our-
selves, too, upon our physical beauty, and especially

i6 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

upon the beauty of our women. May I dare to
say, Tara of Helium, that I am hoping for the
day when you will visit Gathol that my people may
see one who is really beautiful ?

The women of Helium are taught to frown with
displeasure upon the tongue of the flatterer,” re-
joined the girl, but Gahan, Jed of Gathol, observed
that she smiled as she said it

A bugle sounded, clear and sweet, above the
laughter and the talk. ‘‘ The Dance of Barsoom ! ”
exclaimed the young warrior. “ I claim you for it,
Tara of Helium.”

The girl glanced in the direction of the bench
where she had last seen Djor Kantos. He was not
in sight. She inclined her head in assent to the
claim of the Gatholian. Slaves were passing among
the guests, distributing small musical instruments
of a single string. Upon each instrument were
characters which indicated the pitch and length of
its tone. The instruments were of skeel, the string
of gut, and were shaped to fit the left forearm of
the dancer, to which it was strapped. There was
also a ring wound with gut which was worn be-
tween the first and second joints of the index finger
of the right hand and which, when passed over the
string of the instrument, elicited the single note
required of the dancer.

The guests had risen and were slowly making
their way toward the expanse of scarlet sward at

TARA IN A TANTRUM

11

the south end of the gardens where the dance was
to be held, when Djor Kantos came hurriedly
toward Tara of Helium. claim — ” he ex-

claimed as he neared her; but she interrupted him
with a gesture.

‘‘You are too late, Djor Kantos,’’ she cried in
mock anger. “No laggard may claim Tara of
Helium; but haste now lest thou lose also Olvia
Marthis, whom I have never seen wait long to be
claimed for this or any other dance.”

“ I have already lost her,” admitted Djor Kantos
ruefully.

“And you mean to say that you came for Tara
of Helium only after having lost Olvia Marthis?”
demanded the girl, still simulating displeasure.

“Oh, Tara of Helium, you know better than
that,” insisted the young man. “ Was it not natural
that I should assume that you would expect me, who
alone has claimed you for the Dance of Barsoom
for at least twelve times past?”

“And sit and play with my thumbs until you saw
fit to come for me? ” she questioned. “Ah, no, Djor
Kantos; Tara of Helium is for no laggard,” and
she threw him a sweet smile and passed on toward
the assembling dancers with Gahan, Jed of far
Gathol.

The Dance of Barsoom bears a relation similar
to the more formal dancing functions of Mars that
The Grand March does to ours, though it is infinitely

i8

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

more intricate and more beautiful. Before a Mar-
tian youth of either sex may attend an important
social function where there is dancing, he must
have become proficient in at least three dances —
The Dance of Barsoom, his national dance, and
the dance of his city. In these three dances the
dancers furnish their own music, which never varies ;
nor do the steps or figures vary, having been handed
down from time immemorial. All Barsoomian
dances are stately and beautiful, but The Dance of
Barsoom is a wondrous epic of motion and har-
mony— there is no grotesque posturing, no vulgar
or suggestive movements. It has been described as
the interpretation of the highest ideals of a world
that aspired to grace and beauty and chastity in wo-
man, and strength and dignity and loyalty in man.

Today, John Carter, Warlord of Mars, with
Dejah Thoris, his mate, led in the dancing, and if
there was another couple that vied with them in
possession of the silent admiration of the guests it
was the resplendent Jed of Gathol and his beautiful
partner. In the ever-changing figures of the dance
the man found himself now with the girl’s hand
in his and again with an arm about the lithe body
that the jeweled harness but inadequately covered,
and the girl, though she had danced a thousand
dances in the past, realized for the first time the
•personal contact of a man’s arm against her naked
flesh. It troubled her that she should notice it, and

TARA IN 'A TANTRUM ig

she looked up questioningly and almost with dis-
pleasure at the man as though it was his fault.
Their eyes met and she saw in his that which she
had never seen in the eyes of Djor Kantos. It was
at the very end of the dance and they both stopped
suddenly with the music and stood there looking
straight into each other’s eyes. It was Gahan of
Gathol who spoke first.

“Tara of Helium, I love you!” he said.

The girl drew herself to her full height. “The
Jed of Gathol forgets himself,” she exclaimed
haughtily.

“The Jed of Gathol would forget everything
but you, Tara of Helium,” he replied. Fiercely
he pressed the soft hand that he still retained from
the last position of the dance. “I love you, Tara
of Helium,” he repeated. “Why should your ears
refuse to hear what your eyes but just now did
not refuse to see — and answer?”

“What meanest thou?” she cried. “Are the
men of Gathol such boors, then?”

“They are neither boors nor fools,” he replied,
quietly. “ They know when they love a woman —
and when she loves them.”

Tara of Helium stamped her little foot in anger.
“ Go ! ” she said, “ before it is necessary to acquaint
my father with the dishonor of his guest.”

She turned and walked away. “Wait!” cried
the man. “Just another word.”

20

THE CHESSMEN OP MARS

‘‘Of apology?’’ she asked.

“Of prophecy,” he said.

“ I do not care to hear it,” replied Tara of Helium,
and left him standing there. She was strangely un-
strung and shortly thereafter returned to her own
quarter of the palace, where she stood for a long
time by a window looking out beyond the scarlet
tower of Greater Helium toward the northwest.

Presently she turned angrily away. “I hate
him ! ” she exclaimed aloud.

“Whom?” inquired the privileged Uthia.

Tara of Helium stamped her foot. “That ill-
mannered boor, the Jed of Gathol,” she replied.

Uthia raised her slim brows.

At the stamping of the little foot, a great beast
rose from the comer of the room and crossed to
Tara of Helium where it stood looking up into
her face. She placed her hand upon the ugly head.
“Dear old Woola,” she said; “no love could be
deeper than yours, yet it never offends. Would
that men might pattern themselves after you ? ”

CHAPTER II

AT THE gale's mercy

Tara of Helium did not return to her father's
guests, but awaited in her own apartments
the word from Djor Kantos which she knew must
come, begging her to return to the gardens. She
would then refuse, haughtily. But no appeal came
from Djor Kantos. At first Tara of Helium was
angry, then she was hurt, and always she was puz-
zled. She could not understand. Occasionally she
thought of the Jed of Gathol and then she would
stamp her foot, for she was very angry indeed with
Gahan. The presumption of the man! He had
insinuated that he read love for him in her eyes.
Never had she been so insulted and humiliated.
Never had she so thoroughly hated a man. Sud-
denly she turned toward Uthia.

My flying leather ! " she commanded.

‘‘But the guests!" exclaimed the slave girl.
“Your father, The Warlord, will expect you to
return."

“He will be disappointed," snapped Tara of
Helium.

The slave hesitated. “He does not approve of
your flying alone," she reminded her mistress.

The young princess sprang to her feet and seized
21

22

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

the unhappy slave by the shoulders, shaking her.
‘‘You are becoming unbearable, Uthia,'' she cried.
“Soon there will be no alternative than to send
you to the public slave-market. Then possibly you
will find a master to your liking.’’

Tears came to the soft eyes of the slave girl.
“It is because I love you, my princess,” she said
softly. Instantly Tara of Helium melted. She took
the slave in her arms and kissed her.

“I have the disposition of a thoat, Uthia,” she
said. “ Forgive me 1 I love you and there is noth-
ing that I would not do for you and nothing would
I do to harm you. Again, as I have so often in
the past, I offer you your freedom.”

“I do not wish my freedom if it will separate
me from you, Tara of Helium,” replied Uthia. “ I
am happy here with you — I think that I should
die without you.”

Again the girls kissed. “And you will not fly
alone, then?” questioned the slave.

Tara of Helium laughed and pinched her com-
panion. “ You persistent little pest,” she cried. “ Of
course I shall fly — does not Tara of Helium always
do that which pleases her ? ”

Uthia shook her head sorrowfully. “Alas! she
does,” she admitted. “ Iron is the Warlord of Bar-
soom to the influences of all but two. In the hands
of Dejah Thoris and Tara of Helium he is as
potters’ clay.”

AT THE CALEBS MERCY

23

‘‘Then run and fetch my flying leather like the
sweet slave you are,” directed the mistress.

Far out across the ochre sea-bottoms beyond the
twin cities of Helium raced the swift flier of Tara
of Helium. Thrilling to the speed and the buoyancy
and the obedience of the little craft the girl drove
toward the northwest. Why she should choose that
direction she did not pause to consider. Perhaps
because in that direction lay the least known areas
of Barsoom, and, ergo, Romance, Mystery, and Ad-
venture. In that direction also lay far Gathol; but
to that fact she gave no conscious thought.

She did, however, think occasionally of the jed
of that distant kingdom, but the reaction to these
thoughts was scarcely pleasurable. They still
brought a flush of shame to her cheeks and a surge
of angry blood to her heart. She was very angry
with the Jed of Gathol, and though she should never
see him again she was quite sure that hate of him
would remain fresh in her memory forever. Mostly
her thoughts revolved about another — Djor Kantos.
And when she thought of him she thought also of
Olvia Marthis of Hastor. Tara of Helium thought
that she was jealous of the fair Olvia and it made
her very angry to think that. She was angry with
Djor Kantos and herself, but she was not angry
at all with Olvia Marthis, whom she loved, and
so of course she was not jealous really. The trouble

24

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

was, that Tara of Helium had failed for once to
have her own way. Djor Kantos had not come run-
ning like a willing slave when she had expected him,
and, ah, here was the nub of the whole thing!
Gahan, Jed of Gathol, a stranger, had been a wit-
ness to her humiliation. He had seen her unclaimed
at the beginning of a great function and he had had
to come to her rescue to save her, as he doubtless
thought, from the inglorious fate of a wallflower.
At the recurring thought, Tara of Helium could feel
her whole body burning with scarlet shame and then
she went suddenly white and cold with rage ; where-
upon she turned her flier about sc abruptly that she
was all but torn from her lashings upon the flat,
narrow deck. She reached home just before dark.
The guests had departed. Quiet had descended upon
the palace. An hour later she joined her father
and mother at the evening meal.

‘‘You deserted us, Tara of Helium,” said John
Carter. “ It is not what the guests of John Carter
should expect.”

“They did not come to see me,” replied Tara of
Helium. “ I did not ask them.”

“They were no less your guests,” replied her
father.

The girl rose, and came and stood beside him
and put her arms about his neck,

“ My proper old Virginian,” she cried, rumpling
his shock of black hair.

AT THE CALEBS MERCY

25

^‘In Virginia you would be turned over your
father’s knee and spanked,” said the man, smiling.

She crept into his lap and kissed him. “You do
not love me any more,” she announced. “ No one
loves me,” but she could not compose her features
into a pout because bubbling laughter insisted upon
breaking through.

“The trouble is there are too many who love
you,” he said. “And now there is another.”

“Indeed!” she cried. “What do you mean?”

“Gahan of Gathol has asked permission to woo
you.”

The girl sat up very straight and tilted her chin
in the air. “ I would not wed with a walking dia-
mond-mine,” she said. “I will not have him.”

“I told him as much,” replied her father, “and
that you were as good as betrothed to another. He
was very courteous about it; but at the same time
he gave me to understand that he was accustomed
to getting what he wanted and that he wanted yoiv
very much. I suppose it will mean another war.
Your mother’s beauty kept Helium at war for many
years, and — well, Tara of Helium, if I were a
young man I should doubtless be willing to set all
Barsoom afire to win you, as I still would to keep
your divine mother,” and he smiled across the
sorapus table and its golden service at the undimmed
beauty of Mars’ most beautiful woman.

“Our little girl should not yet be troubled wWi

26

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

such matters,” said Dejah Thoris. Remember,
John Carter, that you are not dealing with an Earth
child, whose span of life would be more than half
completed before a daughter of Barsoom reached
actual maturity.”

‘‘ But do not the daughters of Barsoom sometimes
marry as early as twenty ? ” he insisted.

“ Yes, but they may still be desirable in the eyes
of men after forty generations of Earth folk have
returned to dust — there is no hurry, at least, upon
Barsoom. We do not fade and decay here as you
lell me those of your planet do, though you, your-
self, belie your own words. When the time seems
proper Tara of Helium shall wed with Djor Kantos,
and until then let us give the matter no further
thought.”

“No,” said the girl, “the subject irks me, and I
shall not marry Djor Kantos, or another — I do
not intend to wed.”

Her father and mother looked at her and smiled.
“ When Gahan of Gathol returns he may carry you
off,” said the former.

“He has gone?” asked the girl.

“His flier departs for Gathol in the morning,”
John Carter replied.

“I have seen the last of him then,” remarked
Tara of Helium with a sigh of relief.

“He says not,” returned John Carter.

The girl dismissed the subject with a shrug and

AT THE CALEBS MERCY

27

the conversation passed to other topics. A letter
had arrived from Thuvia of Ptarth, who was visit-
ing at her father’s court while Carthoris, her mate,
hunted in Okar. Word had been received that the
Tharks and Warhoons were again at war, or rather
that there had been an engagement, for war was
their habitual state. In the memory of man there
had been no peace between these two savage green
hordes — and only a single temporary truce. Two
new battleships had been launched at Hastor. A
little band of holy therns was attempting to revive
the ancient and discredited religion of Issus, who
they claimed still lived in spirit and had communi-
cated with them. There were rumors of war from
Dusar. A scientist claimed to have discovered
human life on the further moon. A madman had
attempted to destroy the atmosphere plant. Seven
people had been assassinated in Greater Helium dur-
ing the last ten zodes (the equivalent of an Earth
day).

Following the meal Dejah Thoris and The War-
lord played at jetan, the Barsoomian game of chess, ,
which is played upon a board of a hundred alter- 1
nate black and orange squares. One player has
twenty black pieces, the other, twenty orange pieces.
A brief description of the game may interest those
E^rth readers who care for chess, and will not be
lost upon those who pursue this narrative to its
conclusion, since before they are done they will find

28

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

that a knowledge of jetan will add to the interest
and the thrills that are in store for them.

The men are placed upon the board as in chess
upon the first two rows next the players. In order
from left to right on the line of squares nearest
the players, the jetan pieces are Warrior, Padwar,
Dwar, Flier, Chief, Princess, Flier, Dwar, Padwar,
Warrior. In the next line all are Panthatis except
the end pieces, which are called Thoats, and repre-
sent mounted warriors.

The Panthans, which are represented as war-
riors with one feather, may move one space in any
direction except backward; the Thoats, mounted
warriors with three feathers, may move one straight
and one diagonal, and may jump intervening pieces;
Warriors, foot soldiers with two feathers, straight
in any direction, or diagonally, two spaces; Pad-
wars, lieutenants wearing two feathers, two diagonal
in any direction, or combination; Dwars, captains
wearing three feathers, three spaces straight in any
direction, or combination; Fliers, represented by a
propellor with three blades, three spaces in any
direction, or combination, diagonally, and may jump
intervening pieces ; the Chief, indicated by a diadem
with ten jewels, three spaces in any direction,
straight, or diagonal ; Princess, diadem with a single
jewel, same as Chief, and can jump intervening
pieces.

The game is won when a player places any of

:4T THE GALE'S MERCY

29

his pieces on the same square with his opponent’s
Princess, or when a Chief takes a Chief. It is drawn
when a Chief is taken by any opposing piece other
than the opposing Chief; or when both sides have
been reduced to three pieces, or less, of equal value,
and the game is not terminated in the following ten
moves, five apiece. This is but a general outline of
the game, briefly stated.

It was this game that Dejah Thoris and John
Carter were playing when Tara of Helium bid them
good night, retiring to her own ‘quarters and her
sleeping silks and furs. ‘‘Until morning, my be-
loved,” she called back to them as she passed from
the apartment, nor little did she guess, nor her
parents, that this might indeed be the last time that
they would ever set eyes upon her.

The morning broke dull and gray. Ominous
clouds billowed restlessly and low. Beneath them
torn fragments scudded toward the northwest. From
her window Tara of Helium looked out upon this
unusual scene. Dense clouds seldom overcast the
Barsoomian sky. At this hour of the day it was
her custom to ride one of those small thoats that
are the saddle animals of the red Martians, but the
sight of the billowing clouds lured her to a new
adventure. Uthia still slept and the girl did not
disturb her. Instead, she dressed quietly and went
to the hangar upon the roof of the palace directly
above her quarters where her own swift flier was

so

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

housed. She had never driven through the clouds.
It was an adventure that always she had longed to
experience. The wind was strong and it was with
difficulty that she maneuvered the craft from the
hangar without accident, but once away it raced
swiftly out above the twin cities. The buffeting
winds caught and tossed it, and the girl laughed
aloud in sheer joy of the resultant thrills. She
handled the little ship like a veteran, though few
veterans would have faced the menace of such a
storm in so light a craft. Swiftly she rose toward
the clouds, racing with the scudding streamers of
the stomi-swept fragments, and a moment later she
was swallowed by the dense masses billowing above
Here was a new world, a world of chaos unpeopled
except for herself ; but it was a cold, damp, lonely
world and she found it depressing after the novelty
of it had been dissipated, by an overpowering sense
of the magnitude of the forces surging about her.
Suddenly she felt very lonely and very cold and
very little. Hurriedly, therefore, she rose until
presently her craft broke through into the glorious
sunlight that transformed the upper surface of the
somber element into rolling masses of burnished
silver. Here it was still cold, but without the damp-
ness of the clouds, and in the eye of the brilliant
sun her spirits rose with the mounting needle of
her altimeter. Gazing at the clouds, now far be-
neath, the girl experienced the sensation of hang-

AT THE CALEBS MERCY

31

ing stationary in mid-heaven; but the whirring of
her propeller, the wind beating upon her, the high
figures that rose and fell beneath the glass of her
speedometer, these told her that her speed was ter-
rific. It was then that she determined to turn back.

The first attempt she made above the clouds, but
it was unsuccessful. To her surprise she discovered
that she could not even turn against the high wind,
which rocked and buffeted the frail craft. Then
she dropped swiftly to the dark and wind-swept
zone between the hurtling clouds and the gloomy
surface of the shadowed ground. Here she tried
again to force the nose of the flier back toward
Helium, but the tempest seized the frail thing and
hurled it remorselessly about, rolling it over and
over and tossing it as it were a cork in a cataract.
At last the girl succeeded in righting the flier, peril-
ously close to the ground. Never before had she
been so close to death, yet she was not terrified.
Her coolness had saved her, that and the strength
of the deck lashings that held her. Traveling with
the storm she was safe, but where was it bearing
her? She pictured the apprehension of her father
and mother when she failed to appear at the morn-
ing meal. They would find her flier missing and
they would guess that somewhere in the path of
the storm it lay a wrecked and tangled mass upon
her dead body, and then brave men would go out
in search of her, risking their lives; and that lives

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Si

would be lost in the search, she knew, for she
realized now that never in her lifetime had such a
tempest raged upon Barsoom.

She must turn back! She must reach Helium
before her mad lust for thrills had cost the sacrifke
of a single courageous life! She determined that
greater safety and likelihood of success lay above
the clouds, and once again she rose through the
chilling, wind-tossed vapor. Her speed again was
terrific, for the wind seemed to have increased rather
than to have lessened. She sought gradually to
check the swift flight of her craft, but though she
finally succeeded in reversing her motor the wind
but carried her on as it would. Then it was that
Tara of Helium lost her temper. Had her world
not always bowed in acquiescence to her every wish ?
What were these elements that they dared to thwart
her? She would demonstrate to them that the
daughter of The Warlord was not to be denied!
They would learn that Tara of Helium might not
be ruled even by the forces of nature!

And so she drove her motor forward again and
then with her firm, white teeth set in grim determi-
nation she drove the steering lever far down to port
with the intention of forcing the nose of her craft
straight into the teeth of the wind, and the wind
seized the frail thing and toppled it over upon its
back, and twisted and turned it and hurled it over
and over; the propeller raced for an instant in an

'AT THE CALEBS MERCY

33?

air pocket and then the tempest seized it again and
twisted it from its shaft, leaving the girl helpless
upon an unmanageable atom that rose and fell, and
rolled and tumbled — the sport of the elements she
had defied. Tara of Helium's first sensation was
one of surprise — that she had failed to have her
own way. Then she commenced to feel concern ~
not for her own safety but for the anxiety of her
parents and the dangers that the inevitable searchers
must face. She reproached herself for the thought-
less selfishness that had jeopardized the peace and
safety of others. She realized her own grave danger,
too; but she was still unterrified, as befitted the
daughter of Dejah Thoris and John Carter. She
knew that her buoyancy tanks might keep her afloat
indefinitely, but she had neither food nor water, and
she was being borne toward the least-known area
of Barsoom. Perliaps it would be better to land
immediately and await the coming of the searchers,
rather than to allow herself to be carried still further
from Helium, thus greatly reducing the chances of
early discovery; but when she dropped toward the
ground she discovered that the violence of the wind
rendered an attempt to land tantamount to destruc-
tion and she rose again, rapidly.

Carried along a few hundred feet above the
ground she was better able to appreciate the Titanic
proportions of the storm than when she had flown
in the comparative serenity of the zone above the

g4 the chessmen of mars

clouds, for now she could distinctly see the effect
of the wind upon the surface of Barsoom. The air
was filled with dust and flying bits of vegetation and
when the storm carried her across an irrigated area
of farm land she saw great trees and stone walls
and buildings lifted high in air and scattered broad-
cast over the devastated country; and then she was
carried swiftly on to other sights that forced in
upon her consciousness a rapidly growing convic-
tion that after all Tara of Helium was a very small
and insignificant and helpless person. It was quite »
a shock to her self-pride while it lasted, and toward
evening she was ready to believe that it was going
to last forever. There had been no abatement in
the ferocity of the tempest, nor was there indica-
tion of any. She could only guess at the distance
she had been carried for she could not believe in the
correctness of the high figures that had been piled
upon the record of her odometer. They seemed un-
believable and yet, had she known it, they were
quite true — in twelve hours she had flown and been
carried by the storm full seven thousand haads. Just
before dark she was carried over one of the deserted
cities of ancient Mars. It was Torquas, but she
did not know it. Had she, she might readily have
been forgiven for abandoning the last vestige of
hope, for to the people of Helium Torquas seems as
remote as do the South Sea Islands to us. And still
the tempest, its fury unabated, bore her on.

AT THE CALEBS MERCY

35

All that night she hurtled through the dark be-
neath the clouds, or rose to race through the moon-
lit void beneath the glory of Barsoom’s two satellites.
She was cold and hungry and altogether miserable,
but her brave little spirit refused to admit that hei
plight was hopeless even though reason proclaimed
the truth. Her reply to reason, sometimes spoken
aloud in sudden defiance, recalled the Spartan stub-
bornness of her sire in the face of certain annihila-
tion : “ I still live ! ’’

That morning there had been an early visitor at
the palace of The Warlord. It was Gahan, Jed
of Gathol. He had arrived shortly after the ab-
sence of Tara of Helium had been noted, and in
the excitement he had remained unannounced until
John Carter had happened upon him in the great
reception corridor of the palace as The Warlord
was hurrying out to arrange for the dispatch of
ships in search of his daughter.

Gahan read the concern upon the face of The
Warlord. ‘‘Forgive me if I intrude, John Carter,’'
he said. “ I but came to ask the indulgence of an-
other day since it would be foolhardy to attempt to
navigate a ship in such a storm.”

“Remain, Gahan, a welcome guest until you
choose to leave us,” replied The Warlord; “but you
must forgive any seeming inattention upon the part
of Helium imtil my daughter is restored to us.”

36 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

*‘Your daughter! Restored! What do you
mean ? ” exclaimed the Gatholian. “ I do not under-
stand.’*

“ She is gone, together with her light flier. That
is all we know. We can only assume that she de-
cided to fly before the morning meal and was caught
in the clutches of the tempest. You will^ pardon
me, Gahan, if I leave you abruptly — I am arrang-
ing to send ships in search of her;” but Gahan, Jed
of Gathol, was already speeding in the direction
of the palace gate. There he leaped upon a wait-
ing thoat and followed by two warriors in the metal
of Gathol, he dashed through the avenues of Helium
toward the palace that had been set aside for Sus
oatertainmcnt

CHAPTER III

THE HEADLESS HUMANS

ABOVE the roof of the palace that housed the
/jLJed of Gathol and his entourage, the cruiser
Vanator tore at her stout moorings. The groaning
tackle bespoke the mad fury of the gale, while the
worried faces of those members of the crew whose
duties demanded their presence on the straining
craft gave corroborative evidence of the gravity of
the situation. Only stout lashings prevented thesNB
men from being swept from the deck, while thos0
upon the roof below were constantly compelled to
cling to rails and stanchions to save themselves from
being carried away by each new burst of meteoric
fury. Upon the prow of the Vanator was painted
the device of Gathol, but no pennants were displayed
in the upper works since the storm had carried away
several in rapid succession, just as it seemed to the
watching men that it must carry away the ship itself.
They could not believe that any tackle could with-
stand for long this Titanic force. To each of the
twelve lashings clung a brawny warrior with drawn
short-sword. Had but a single mooring given to
the power of the tempest eleven short-swords would
have cut the others; since, partially moored, the ship
37

38 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

was doomed, while free in the tempest it stood at
least some slight chance for life.

“ By the blood of Issus, I believe they will hold I ”
screamed one warrior to another.

“And they do not hold may the spirits of our
ancestors reward the brave warriors upon the Van<i^
tory replied another of those upon the roof of the
palace, “ for it will not be long from the moment
her cables part before her crew dons the leather of
the dead; but yet, Tanus, I believe they will hold.
Give thanks at least that we did not sail before the
tempest fell, since now each of us has a chance
to live.”

“ Yes,” replied Tanus, “ I should hate to be abroad
today upon the stoutest ship that sails the Bar-
soomian sky.”

It was then that Gahan the Jed appeared upon
the roof. With him were the balance of hb own
party and a dozen warriors of Helium. The young
chief turned to his followers.

“I sail at once upon the Vanatory he said, “in
search of Tara of Helium who is thought to have
been carried away upon a one-man flier by the
storm. I do not need to explain to you the slender
chances the Vanator has to withstand the fury of
the tempest, nor will I order you to your deaths.
Let those who wish remain behind without dis-
honor. The others will follow me,” and he leaped
for the rope ladder that lashed wildly in the gale.

THE HEADLESS HUMANS

39

The first man to follow him was Tanus and when
the last reached the deck of the cruiser there re-
mained upon the palace roof only the twelve war-
riors of Helium, who, with naked swords, had taken
the posts of the Gatholians at the moorings.

Not a single warrior who had remained aboard
the V amt or would leave her now.

“I expected no less,’’ said Gahan, as with the
help of those already on the deck he and the others
found secure lashings. The commander of the
Vanator shook his head. He loved his trim craft,
the pride of her class in the little navy of Gathol.
It was of her he thought — not of himself. He
saw her lying torn and twisted upon the ochre
vegetation of some distant sea-bottom, to be pres-
ently overrun and looted by some savage, green
horde. He looked at Gahan.

‘‘Are you ready, San Tothis?” asked the jed.

‘"All is ready.”

‘‘ Then cut away ! ”

Word was passed across the deck and over the
side to the Heliumetic warriors below that at the
third gun they were to cut away. Twelve keen
swords must strike simultaneously and with equal
power, and each must sever completely and instantly
three strands of heavy cable that no loose end foul-
ing a block bring immediate disaster upon the
Vanator,

Boom! The voice of the signal gun rolled down

40

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

through the screaming wind to the twelve warriors
upon the roof. Boom! Twelve swords were raised
above twelve brawny shoulders. Boom! Twelve
keen edges severed twelve complaining moorings,
clean and as one.

The Vanator, her propellors whirling, shot for-
ward with the storm. The tempest struck her in
the stern as with a mailed fist and stood the great
ship upon her nose, and then it caught her and
spun her as a child’s top spins ; and 'upon the palace
roof the twelve men looked on in silent helpless-
ness and prayed for the souls of the brave war-
riors who were going to their death. And others
saw, from Helium’s lofty landing stages and from
a thousand hangars upon a thousand roofs ; but only
for an instant did the preparations stop that would
send other brave men into the frightful maelstrom
of that apparently hopeless search, for such is the
courage of the warriors of Barsoom.

But the Vanator did not fall to the ground, within
sight of the city at least, though as long as the
watchers could see her never for an instant did she
rest upon an even keel. Sometime she lay upon one
side or the other, or again she hurtled along keel
up, or rolled over and over, or stood upon her nose
or her tail at the caprice of the great force that
carried her along. And the watchers saw that this
great ship was merely being blown away with the
other bits of debris great and small that filled the

THE HEADLESS HUMANS

41

sky. Never in the memory of man or the annals
of recorded history had such a storm raged across
the face of Barsoom.

And in another instant was the Vanator forgot-
ten as the lofty, scarlet tower that had marked
Lesser Helium for ages crashed to ground, carrying
death and demolition upon the city beneath. Panic
reigned. A fire broke out in the ruins. The city’s
every force seemed crippled, and it was then that
The Warlord ordered the men that were about to
set forth in search of Tara of Helium to devote
their energies to the salvation of the city, for he
too had witnessed the start of the Vanator and real-
ized the futility of wasting men who were needed
sorely if Lesser Helium was to be saved from utter
destruction.

Shortly after noon of the second day the storm
commenced to abate, and before the sun went down,
the little craft upon which Tara of Helium had
hovered between life and death these many hours
drifted slowly before a gentle breeze above a land-
scape of rolling hills that once had been lofty moun-
tains upon a Martian continent. The girl was ex-
hausted from loss of sleep, from lack of food and
drink, and from the nervous reaction consequent to
the terrifying experiences through which she had
passed. In the near distance, just topping an inter-
vening hill, she caught a momentary glimpse of what
appeared to be a dome-capped tower. Quickly she

42

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

dropped the flier until the hill shut it off from the
view of the possible occupants of the structure she
had seen. The tower meant to her the habitation of
man, suggesting the presence of water and, perhaps,
of food. If the tower was the deserted relic of a
bygone age she would scarcely find food there, but
there was still a chance that there might be water.
If it was inhabited, then must her approach be
cautious, for only enemies might be expected to abide
in so far distant a land. Tara of Helium knew that
she must be far from the twin cities of her grand-
father’s empire, but had she guessed within even
a thousand haads of the reality, she had been
stunned by realization of the utter hopelessness of
her state.

Keeping the craft low, for the buoyancy tanks
were still intact, the girl skimmed the ground until
the gently-moving wind had carried her to the side
of the last hill that intervened between her and the
structure she had thought a man-built tower. Here
she brought the flier to the ground among some
stunted trees, and dragging it beneath one where it
might be somewhat hidden from craft passing above,
she made it fast and set forth to reconnoiter. Like
most women of her class she was armed only with
a single slender blade, so that in such an emergency
as now confronted her she must depend almost
solely upon her cleverness in remaining undiscovered
by enemies. With utmost caution she crept warily

THE HEADLESS HUMANS

43

toward the crest of the hill, taking advantage of
every natural screen that the landscape afforded to
conceal her approach from possible observers ahead,
while momentarily she cast quick glances rearward
lest she be taken by surprise from that quarter.

She came at last to the summit, where, from the
concealment of a low bush, she could see what lay
beyond. Beneath her spread a beautiful valley sur-
rounded by low hills. Dotting it were numerous
circular towers, dome-capped, and surrounding each
tower was a stone wall enclosing several acres of
ground. The valley appeared to be in a high state
of cultivation. Upon the opposite side of the hill
and just beneath her was a tower and enclosure.
It was the roof of the former that had first attracted
her attention. In all respects it seemed identical in
construction with those further out in the valley — a
high, plastered wall of massive construction sur-
rounding a similarly constructed tower, upon whose
gray surface was painted in vivid colors a strange
device. The towers were about forty sofads in
diameter, approximately forty earth-feet, and sixty
in height to the base of the dome. To an Earth
man they would have immediately suggested the
silos in which dairy farmers store ensilage for their
herds; but closer scrutiny, revealing an occasional
embrasured opening together with the strange con-
struction of the domes, would have altered such a
conclusion. Tara of Helium saw that the domes

44

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

seemed to be faced with innumerable prisms of glass,
those that were exposed to the declining sun scintil-
lating so gorgeously as to remind her suddenly of
the magnificent trappings of Gahan of Gathol. As
she thought of the man she shook her head angrily,
and moved cautiously forward a foot or two that
she might get a less obstructed view of the nearer
tower and its enclosure.

As Tara of Helium looked down into the en-
closure surrounding the nearest tower, her brows
contracted momentarily in frowning surprise, and
then her eyes went wide in an expression of in-
credulity tinged with horror, for what she saw was
a score or two of human bodies — naked and head-
less. For a long moment she watched, breathless;
unable to believe the evidence of her own eyes —
that these grewsome things moved and had life!
She saw them crawling about on hands and knees
over and across one another, searching about with
their fingers. And she saw some of them at troughs,
for which the others seemed to be searching, and
those at the troughs were taking something from
these receptacles and apparently putting it in a hole
where their necks should have been. They were not
far beneath her — she could see them distinctly and
she saw that there were the bodies of both men and
women, and that they were beautifully proportioned,
and that their skin was similar to hers, but of a
slightly lighter red. At first she had thought that

THE HEADLESS HUMANS

45

she was looking upon a shambles and that the bodies,
but recently decapitated, were moving under the im-
pulse of muscular reaction; but presently she real-
ized that this was their normal condition. The
horror of them fascinated her, so that she could
scarce take her eyes from them. It was evident
from their groping hands that they were eyeless,
and their sluggish movements suggested a rudi-
mentary nervous system and a correspondingly
minute brain. The girl wondered how they sub-
sisted for she could not, even by the wildest stretch
of imagination, picture these imperfect creatures as
intelligent tillers of the soil. Yet that the soil of
the valley was tilled was evident and that these
things had food was equally so. But who tilled the
soil ? Who kept and fed these unhappy things, and
for what purpose? It was an enigma beyond her
powers of deduction.

The sight of food aroused again a consciousness
of her own gnawing hunger and the thirst that
parched her throat. She could see both food and
water within the enclosure ; but would she dare enter
even should she find means of ingress ? She doubted
it, since the very thought of possible contact with
these grewsome creatures sent a shudder through
her frame.

Then her eyes wandered again out across the
valley until presently they picked out what appeared
to be a tiny stream winding its way through the

46 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

center of the farm lands — a strange sight upon
Barsoom. Ah, if it were but water! Then might
she hope with a real hope, for the fields would give
her sustenance which she could gain by night, while
by day she hid among the surrounding hills, and
sometime, yes, sometime she knew, the searchers
would come, for John Carter, Warlord of Barsoom,
would never cease to search for his daughter until
every square haad of the planet had been combed
again and again. She knew him and she knew the
warriors of Helium and so she knew that could she
but manage to escape harm until they came, they
would indeed come at last.

She would have to wait until dark before she dare
venture into the valley, and in the meantime she
thought it well to search out a place of safety nearby
where she might be reasonably safe from savage
beasts. It was possible that the district was free
from carnivora, but one might never be sure in a:
strange land. As she was about to withdraw behind
the brow of the hill her attention was again attracted
to the enclosure below. Two figures had emerged
from the tower. Their beautiful bodies seemed
identical with those of the headless creatures among
which they moved, but the newcomers were not
headless. Upon their shoulders were heads that
seemed human, yet which the girl intuitively sensed
were not human. They were just a trifle too far
away for her to see theni distinctly in the waning

THE HEADLESS HUMANS

47

light of the dying day, but she knew that they were
too large, they were out of proportion to the per-
fectly proportioned bodies, and they were oblate in
form. She could see that the men wore some man-
ner of harness to which were slung the customary
long-sword and short-sword of the Barsoomian
warrior, and that about their short necks were
massive leather collars cut to fit closely over the
shoulders and snugly to the lower part of the head.
Their features were scarce discernible, but there
was a suggestion of grotesqueness about them that
carried to her a feeling of revulsion.

The two carried a long rope to which were
fastened, at intervals of about two sofads, what she
later guessed were light manacles, for she saw the
warriors passing among the poor creatures in the
enclosure and about the right wrist of each they
fastened one of the manacles. When all had been
thus fastened to the rope one of the warriors com-
menced to pull and tug at the loose end as though
attempting to drag the headless company toward the
tower, while the other went among them with a
long, light whip with which he flicked them upon
the naked skin. Slowly, dully, the creatures rose to
their feet and between the tugging of the warrior
in front and the lashing of him behind the hopeless
band was finally herded within the tower. Tara of
Helium shuddered as she turned away. What mam
ner of creatures were these?

48 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Suddenly it was night. The Barsoomian day had
ended, and then the brief period of twilight that
renders the transition from daylight to darkness
almost as abrupt as the switching off of an electric
light, and Tara of Helium had found no sanctuary.
But perhaps there were no beasts to fear, or rather
to avoid — Tara of Helium liked not the word fear.
She would have been glad, however, had there been
a cabin, even a very tiny cabin, upon her small flier ;
but there was no cabin. The interior of the hull was
completely taken up by the buoyancy tanks. Ah,
she had it! How stupid of her not to have thought
of it before ! She could moor the craft to the tree
beneath which it rested and let it rise the length
of the rope. Lashed to the deck rings she would
then be safe from any roaming beast of prey that
chanced along. In the morning she could drop to
ground again before the craft was discovered.

As Tara of Helium crept over the brow of the hill
down toward the valley, her presence was hidden
by the darkness of the night from the sight of any
chance observer who might be loitering by a window
in the nearby tower. Cluros, the farther moon,
was just rising above the horizon to commence his
leisurely journey through the heavens. Eight zodes
later he would set — a trifle over nineteen and a half
Earth hours — and during that time Thuria, his
vivacious mate, would have circled the planet twice
and be more than half way around on her third

THE HEADLESS HUMANS

49

trip. She had but just set. It would be more than
three and a half hours before she shot above the
opposite horizon to hurtle, swift and low, across the
face of the dying planet. During this temporary
absence of the mad moon Tara of Helium hoped to
find both food and water, and gain again the safety
of her flier's deck.

She groped her way through the darkness, giving
the tower and its enclosure as wide a berth as
possible. Sometimes she stumbled, for in the long
shadows cast by the rising Cluros objects were
grotesquely distorted, though the light from the
moon was still not sufficient to be of much assistance
to her. Nor, as a matter of fact, did she want light.
She could find the stream in the dark, by the simple
expedient of going down hill until she walked into
it and she had seen that bearing trees and many
crops grew throughout the valley, so that she would
pass food in plenty ere she r^eached the stream. If
the moon showed her the way more clearly and thus
saved her from an occasional fall, he would, too,
show her more clearly to the strange denizens of the
towers, and that, of course, must not be. Could she
have waited until the following night conditions
would have been better, since Cluros would not ap-
pear in the heavens at all and so, during Thuria's
absence, utter darkness would reign; but the pangs
of thirst and the gnawing of hunger could be en-
dured no longer with food and drink both in sight.

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

50

and so she had decided to risk discovery rather than
suffer longer.

Safely past the nearest tower, she moved as
rapidly as she felt consistent with safety, choosing
her way wherever possible so that she might take
advantage of the shadows of the trees that grew at
intervals and at the same time discover those which
bore fruit. In this latter she met with almost im-
mediate success, for the very third tree beneath
which she halted was heavy with ripe fruit. Never,
thought Tara of Helium, had aught so delicious
impinged upon her palate, and yet it was naught else
than the almost tasteless usa, which is considered to
be, rpalatable only after having been cooked and
highly spiced. It grows easily with little irrigation
and the trees bear abundantly. Tlie fruit, which
ranks high in food value, is one of the staple foods
of the less well-to-do, and because of its cheapness
and nutritive value forms one of the principal rations
of both armies and navies upon Barsoom, a use
which has won for it a Martian sobriquet which,
freely translated into English, would be, The Fight-
ing Potato. The girl was wise enough to eat but
sparingly, but she filled her pocket-pouch with the
fruit before she continued upon her way.

Two towers she passed before she came at last
to the stream, and here again was she temperate,
drinking but little and that very slowly, contenting
herself with rinsing her mouth frequently and

THE HEADLESS HUMANS

51

bathing her face, her hands, and her feet; and even
though the night was cold, as Martian nights are,
the sensation of refreshment more than compensated
for the physical discomfort of the low temperature.
Replacing her sandals she sought among the grow
ing truck near the stream for whatever edible ber-
ries or tubers might be planted there, and found a
couple of varieties that could be eaten raw. With
these she replaced some of the usa in her pocket-
pouch, not only to insure a variety but because she
found them more palatable. Occasionally she re-
turned to the stream to drink, but each time mod-
erately. Always were her eyes and ears alert for
the first signs of danger, but she had neither seen
nor heard aught to disturb her. And presently the
time approached when she felt she must return to
her flier lest she be caught in the revealing light of
low swinging Thuria. She dreaded leaving the
water for she knew that she must become very
thirsty before she could hope to come again to
the stream. If she only had some little receptacle
in which to carry water, even a small amount would
tide her over until the following night; but she
had nothing and so she must content herself as best
she could with the juices of the fruit and tubers she
had gathered.

After a last drink at the stream, the longest and
deepest she had allowed herself, she rose to retrace
her steps toward the hills; but even as she did sa

52

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

she became suddenly tense with apprehension. What
was that? She could have sworn that she saw
something move in the shadows beneath a tree not
far away. For a long minute the girl did not
move — she scarce breathed. Her eyes remained
fixed upon the dense shadows below the tree, her
ears strained through the silence of the night. 'Al
low moaning came down from the hills where her
flier was hidden. She knew it well — the weird
note of the hunting banth. And the great carnivore
lay directly in her path. But he was not so close
as this other thing, hiding there in the shadows
just a little way off. What was it? It was the
strain of uncertainty that weighed heaviest upon
her. Had she known the nature of the creature
lurking there half its menace would have vanished.
She cast quickly about her in search of some haven
of refuge should the thing prove dangerous.

Again arose the moaning from the hills, but this
time closer. Almost immediately it was answered
from the opposite side of the valley, behind her,
and then from the distance to the right of her, and
twice upon her left. Her eyes had found a tree,
quite near. Slowly, and without taking her eyes
from the shadows of that other tree, she moved
toward the overhanging branches that might afford
her sanctuary in the event of need, and at her first
move a low growl rose from the spot she had been
watching and she heard the sudden moving of a

THE HEADLESS HUMANS

S3

big body. Simultaneously the creature shot into
the moonlight in full charge upon her, its tail erect,
its tiny ears laid flat, its great mouth with its mul-
tiple rows of sharp and powerful fangs already
yawning for its prey, its ten legs carrying it forward
in great leaps, and now from the beast’s throat issued
the frightful roar with which it seeks to paralyze
its prey. It was a banth — the great, maned lion
of Barsoom. Tara of Helium saw it coming and
leaped for the tree toward which she had been
moving, and the banth realized her intention and re-
doubled his speed. As his hideous roar awakened
the echoes in the hills, so too it awakened echoes
in the valley; but these echoes came from the living
throats of others of his kind, until it seemed to the
girl that Fate had thrown her into the midst of a
countless multitude of these savage beasts.

Almost incredibly swift is the speed of a charging
banth, and fortunate it was that the girl had not
been caught farther in the open. As it was, her
margin of safety was next to negligible, for as she
swung nimbly to the lower branches the creature in
pursuit of her crashed among the foliage almost
upon her as it sprang upward to seize her. It was
only a combination of good fortune and agility that
saved her. A stout branch deflected the raking
talons of the carnivore, but so close was the call
that a giant forearm brushed her flesh in the instant
before she scrambled to the higher branches.

54

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Baffled, the banth gave vent to his rage and dis-
appointment in a series of frightful roars that
caused the very ground to tremble, and to these were
added the roarings and the growlings and the
meanings of his fellows as they approached from
every direction, in the hope of wresting from him
whatever of his kill they could take by craft or
prowess. And now he turned snarling upon them
as they circled the tree, while the girl, huddled in
a crotch above them, looked down upon the gaunt,
yellow monsters padding on noiseless feet in a rest-
less circle about her. She wondered now at the
strange freak of fate that had permitted her to
come down this far into the valley by night un-
harmed ; but even more she wondered how she was
to return to the hills. She knew that she would
not dare venture it by night and she guessed, too,
that by day she might be confronted by even graver
perils. To depend upon this valley for sustenance
she now saw to be beyond the pale of possibility
because of the banths that would keep her from
food and water by night, while the dwellers in the
towers would doubtless make it equally impossible
for her to forage by day. There was but one solu-
tion of her difficulty and that was to return to her
fli«r and pray that the wind would waft her to some
less terrorful land; but when might she return to
the flier? The banths gave little evidence of re-
linquishing hope of her, and even if 1f»ey wandered

THE HEADLESS HUMANS

55

out of sight would she dare risk the attempt? She
doubted it.

Hopeless indeed seemed her situation — hope-
less it was

CHAPTER IV

CAPTURED

S THURIA, swift racer of the night, shoi:

r\ again into the sky the scene changed. As by
magic a new aspect fell athwart the face of Nature.
It was as though in the instant one had been trans-
ported from one planet to another. It was the age-
old miracle of the Martian nights that is always
new, even to Martians — two moons resplendent in
the heavens, where one had been but now; conflict-
ing, fast-changing shadows that altered the very
hills themselves; far Cluros, stately, majestic, al-
most stationary, shedding his steady light upon the
world below ; Thuria, a great and glorious orb,
swinging swift across the vaulted dome of the blue-
black night, so low that she seemed to graze the
hills, a gorgeous spectacle that held the girl now
beneath the spell of its enchantment as it always had
and always would.

'‘Ah, Thuria, mad queen of heaven!” murmured
Tara of Helium. " The hills pass in stately pro-
cession, their bosoms rising and falling; the trees
move in restless circles; the little grasses describe
their little arcs ; and all is movement, restless, mys-
terious movement without sound, while Thuria

CAPTURED

57

passes/^ The girl sighed and let her gaze fall again
to the stern realities beneath. There was no mystery
in the huge banths. He who had discovered her
squatted there looking hungrily up at her. Most of
the others had wandered away in search of other
prey, but a few remained hoping yet to bury their
fangs in that soft body.

The night wore on. Again Thuria left the
heavens to her lord and master, hurrying on to keep
her tryst with the Sun in other skies. But a single
banth waited impatiently beneath the tree whicjh
harbored Tara of Helium. The others had left,
but their roars, and growls, and moans thundered
or rumbled, or floated back to her from near and
far. What prey found they in this little valley?
There must be something that they were accustomed
to find here that they should be drawn in so great
numbers. The girl wondered what it could be.

How long the night ! Numb, cold, and exhausted,
Tara of Helium clung to the tree in growing des-
peration, for once she had dozed and almost fallen.
Hope was low in her brave little heart. How much
more could she endure? She asked herself the ques-
tion and then, with a brave shake of her head, she
squared her shoulders. still live!” she said
aloud.

The banth looked up and growled.

Came Thuria again and after awhile the great
Sun — a flaming lover, pursuing his heart’s desire.

58 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

And Cluros, the cold husband, continued his serene
way, as placid as before his house had been violated
by this hot Lothario. And now the Sun and both
Moons rode together in the sky, lending their far
mysteries to make weird the Martian dawn. Tara
of Helium looked out across the fair valley that
spread upon all sides of her. It was rich and
beautiful, but even as she looked upon it she shud-
dered, for to her mind came a picture of the headless
things that the towers and the walls hid. Those
by day and the banths by night! Ah, was it any
wonder that she shuddered ?

With the coming of the Sun the great Barsoom-
ian lion rose to his feet. He turned angry eyes
upon the girl above him, voiced a single ominous
growl, and slunk away toward the hills. The girl
watched him, and she saw that he gave the towers
as wide a berth as possible and that he never took
his eyes from one of them while he was passing it.
Evidently the inmates had taught these savage crea-
tures to respect them. Presently he passed from
sight in a narrow defile, nor in any direction that
she could see was there another. Momentarily at
least the landscape was deserted. The girl wondered
if she dared attempt to regain the hills and her
flier. She dreaded the coming of the workmen to
the fields as she was sure they would come. She
shrank from again seeing the headless bodies, and
found herself wondering if these things would come

CAPTURED

59

oat into the fields and work. She looked toward
the nearest tower. There was no sign of life there.
The valley lay quiet now and deserted. She lowered
herself stiffly to the ground. Her muscles were
cramped and every move brought a twinge of pain.
Pausing a moment to drink again at the stream she
felt refreshed and then turned without more delay
toward the hills. To cover the distance as quickly
as possible seemed the only plan to pursue. The
trees no longer offered concealment and so she did
not go out of her way to be near them. The hills
seemed very far away. She had not thought, the
night before, that she had traveled so far. Really
it had not been far, but now, with the three towers
to pass in broad daylight, the distance seemed great
indeed.

The second tower lay almost directly in her path.
To make a detour would not lessen the chance of
detection, it would only lengthen the period of her
danger, and so she laid her course straight for the
hill where her flier was, regardless of the tower.
As she passed the first enclosure she thought that
she heard the sound of movement within, but the
gate did not open and she breathed more easily when
it lay behind her. She came then to the second
enclosure, the outer wall of which she must circle,
as it lay across her route. As she passed close along
it she distinctly heard not only movement within,
but voices. In the world-language of Barsoom she

6o

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

heard a man issuing instructions — so many were to
pick usa, so many were to irrigate this field, so
many to cultivate that, and so on, as a foreman
lays out the day's work for his crew.

Tara of Helium had just reached the gate in the
outer wall. Without warning it swung open toward
her. She saw that for a moment it would hide her
from those within and in that moment she turned
and ran, keeping close to the wall, until, passing
out of sight beyond the curve of the structure, she
came to the opposite side of the enclosure. Here,
panting from her exertion and from the excitement
of her narrow escape, she threw herself among some
tall weeds that grew close to the foot of the wall.
There she lay trembling for some time, not even
daring to raise her head and look about. Never
before had Tara of Helium felt the paralyzing
effects of terror. She was shocked and angry at
herself, that she, daughter of John Carter, Warlord
of Barsoom, should exhibit fear. Not even the fact
that there had been none there to witness it lessened
her shame and anger, and the worst of it was she
knew that under similar circumstances she would
again be equally as craven. It was not the fear of
death — she knew that. No, it was the thought of
those headless bodies and that she might see them
and that they might even touch her — lay hands
upon her — seize her. She shuddered and trembled
at the thought.

CAPTURED

6t

After a while she gained sufficient command of
herself to raise her head and look about. To her
horror she discovered that everywhere she looked
she saw people working in the fields or preparing
to do so. Workmen were coming from other
towers. Little bands were passing to this field and
that. There were even some already at work within
thirty ads of her — about a hundred yards. There
were ten, perhaps, in the party nearest her, both
men and women, and all were beautiful of form and
grotesque of face. So meager were their trappings
that they were practically naked ; a fact that was in
no way remarkable among the tillers of the fields
of Mars. Each wore the peculiar, high leather
collar that completely hid the neck, and each wore
sufficient other leather to support a single sword and
a pocket-pouch. The leather was very old and
worn, showing long, hard service, and was abso-
lutely plain with the exception of a single device
upon the left shoulder. The heads, however, were
covered with ornaments of precious metals and
jewels, so that little more than eyes, nose, and mouth
were discernible. These were hideously inhuman
and yet grotesquely human at the same time. The
eyes were far apart and protruding, the nose scarce
more than two small, parallel slits set vertically
above a round hole that was the mouth. The heads
were peculiarly repulsive — so much so that it
seemed unbelievable to the girl that they formed

62

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

an integral part of the beautiful bodies below
them.

So fascinated was Tara of Helium that she could
scarce take her eyes from the strange creatures — a
fact that was to prove her undoing, for in order that
she might see them she was forced to expose a part
of her own head and presently, to her consterna-
tion, she saw that one of the creatures had stopped
his work and was staring directly at her. She did
not dare move, for it was still possible that the
thing had not seen her, or at least was only suspi-
cious that some creature lay hid among the weeds.
If she could allay this suspicion by remaining mo-
tionless the creature might believe that he had been
mistaken and return to his work; but, alas, such
was not to be the case. She saw the thing call the
attention of others to her and almost immediately
four or five of them started to move in her direc-
tion.

It was impossible now to escape discovery. Her
only hope lay in flight. If she could elude them
and reach the hills and the flier ahead of them she
might escape, and that could be accomplished in but
one way — flight, immediate and swift. Leaping to
her feet she darted along the base of the wall which
she must skirt to the opposite side, beyond which
lay the hill that was her goal. Her act was greeted
by strange whistling sounds from the things behind
her, and casting a glance over her shoulder she saw

CAPTURED

63

them all in rapid pursuit. There were also shrill com-
mands that she halt, but to these she paid no at-
tention. Before she had half circled the enclosure
she discovered that her chances for successful escape
were great, since it was evident to her that her
pursuers were not so fleet as she. High indeed then
were her hopes as she came in sight of the hill, but
they were soon dashed by what lay before her, for
there, in the fields that lay between, were fully a
hundred creatures similar to those behind her and
all were on the alert, evidently warned by the
whistling of their fellows. Instructions and com-
mands were shouted to and fro, with the result
that those before her spread roughly into a great
half circle to intercept her, and when she turned to
the right, hoping to elude the net, she saw others
coming from fields beyond, and to the le^t the same
was true. But Tara of Helium would not admit
defeat. Without once pausing she turned directly
toward the center of the advancing semi-circle, be-
yond which lay her single chance of escape, and
as she ran she drew her long, slim dagger. Like
her valiant sire, if die she must, she would die fight-
ing. There were gaps in the thin line confronting
her and toward the widest of one of these she di-
rected her course. The things on either side of
the opening guessed her intent for they closed in to-
place themselves in her path. This widened the
openings on either side of them and as the girl ap-

64 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

peared almost to rush into their arms she turned
suddenly at right angles, ran swiftly in the
new direction for a few yards, and then dashed
quickly toward the hill again. Now only a single
warrior, with a wide gap on either side of him,
barred her clear way to freedom, though all the
others were speeding as rapidly as they could to
intercept her. If she could pass this one without too
much delay she could escape, of that she was certain.
Her every hope hinged upon this. The creature be-
fore her realized it, too, for he moved cautiously,
though swiftly, to intercept her, as a Rugby full-
back might maneuver in the realization that he alone
stood between the opposing team and a touche
down.

At first Tara of Helium had hoped that she might
dodge him, for she could not but guess that she
was not only more fleet but infinitely more agile
than these strange creatures; but soon there came
to her the realization that in the time consumed in
an attempt to elude his grasp his nearer fellows
would be upon her and escape then impossible, so
she chose instead to charge straight for him, and
when he guessed her decision he stood, half crouch-
ing and with outstretched arms, awaiting her. In
one hand was his sword, but a voice arose, crying in
tones of authority. ‘‘Take her alive! Do not harm
her!'’ Instantly the fellow returned his sword to
its scabbard and then Tara of Helium was upon

CAPTURED

65

him. Straight for that beautiful body she sprang
and in the instant that the arms closed to seize her
her sharp blade drove deep into the naked chest.
The impact hurled them both to the ground and as
Tara of Helium sprang to her feet again she saw,
to her horror, that the loathsome head had rolled
from the body and was now crawling away from
her on six short, spider-like legs. The body struggled
spasmodically and lay still. As brief as had been
the delay caused by the encounter, it still had been
of sufficient duration to undo her, for even as she
rose two more of the things fell upon her and in-
stantly thereafter she was surrounded. Her blade
sank once more into naked flesh and once more a
head rolled free and crawled away. Then they over-
powered her and in another moment she was sur-
rounded by fully a hundred of the creatures, all
seeking to lay hands upon her. At first she thought
that they wished to tear her to pieces in revenge
for her having slain two of their fellows, but pres-
ently she realized that they were prompted more by
curiosity than by any sinister motive.

'' Come ! ” said one of her captors, both of whom
had retained a hold upon her. As he spoke he
tried to lead her away with him toward the nearest
tower.

She belongs to me,” cried the other. “ Did not
I capture her? She will come with me to the tower
of Moak.”

66

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

** Never ! ” insisted the first. “ She is Luud's. To
Luud I will take her, and whosoever interferes may
feel the keenness of my sword — in the head!'*
He almost shouted the last three words.

“Come! Enough of this,’' cried one who spoke
with some show of authority. “ She was captured
in Luud’s fields — she will go to Luud.”

“ She was discovered in Moak’s fields, at the very
foot of the tower of Moak,” insisted he who had
claimed her for Moak.

“You have heard the Nolach speak,” cried the
Luud. “It shall be as he says.”

“ Not while this Moak holds a sword,” replied
the other. “ Rather will I cut her in twain and take
my half to Moak than to relinquish her all to Luud,”
and he drew his sword, or rather he laid his hand
upon its hilt in a threatening gesture; but before
ever he could draw it the Luud had whipped his out
and with a fearful blow cut deep into the head of
his adversary. Instantly the big, round head col-
lapsed, almost as a punctured balloon collapses, as a
grayish, semi-fluid matter spurted from it. The pro-
truding eyes, apparently lidless, merely stared, the
sphincter-like muscle of the mouth opened and
closed, and then the head toppled from the body to
the ground. The body stood dully for a moment
and then slowly started to wander aimlessly about
until one of the others seized it by the arm.

One of the two heads crawling about on the ground

CAPTURED

67

now approached. ‘‘ This rykor belongs to Moak/*
it said. ** I am a Moak. I will take it,” and with*
out further discussion it commenced to crawl up the
front of the headless body, using its six short,
spiderlike legs and two stout chelae which grew just
in front of its legs and strongly resembled those of
an Earthly lobster, except that they were both of
the same size. The body in the meantime stood In
passive indifference, its arms hanging idly at its
sides. The head climbed to the shoulders and set-
tled itself inside the leather collar that now hid its
chelae and legs. Almost immediately the body gave
evidence of intelligent animation. It raised its hands
and adjusted the collar more comfortably, it took
the head between its palms and settled it in place
and when it moved around it did not wander aim-
lessly, but instead its steps were firm and to some
purpose.

The girl watched all these things in growing
wonder, and presently, no other of the Moaks seem-
ing inclined to dispute the right of the Luud to her,
she was led off by her captor toward the nearest
tower. Several accompanied them, including one
who carried the loose head under his arm. The
head that was being carried conversed with the head
upon the shoulders of the thing that carried it.
Tara of Helium shivered. It was horrible! All
that she had seen of these frightful creatures was
horrible. And to be a prisoner, wholly in their

68

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

power. Shadow of her first ancestor! What had
she done to deserve so cruel a fate?

At the wall enclosing the tower they paused while
one opened the gate and then they passed within the
enclosure, which, to the girl’s horror, she found filled
with headless bodies. The creature who carried the
bodiless head now set its burden upon the ground
and the latter immediately crawled toward one of
the bodies that was lying near by. Some wandered
stupidly to and fro, but this one lay still. It was
a female. The head crawled to it and made its way
to the shoulders where it settled itself. At once the
body sprang lightly erect. Another of those who
had accompanied them from the fields approached
with the harness and collar that had been taken from
the dead body that the head had formerly topped.
The new body now appropriated these and the hands
deftly adjusted them. The creature was now as
good as before Tara of Helium had struck down its
former body with her slim blade. But there was
a difference. Before it had been male — now it was
female. That, however, seemed to make no differ-
ence to the head. In fact, Tara of Helium had no-
iticed during the scramble and the fight about her
that sex differences seemed of little moment to her
captors. Males and females had taken equal part in
her pursuit, both were identically harnessed and
both carried swords, and she had seen as many fe-
males as males draw their weapons at the moment

CAPTURED

69

that a quarrel between the two factions seemed
imminent.

The girl was given but brief opportunity for
further observation of the pitiful creatures in the
enclosure as her captor, after having directed
the others to return to the fields, led her toward the
tower, which they entered, passing into an apart-
ment about ten feet wide and twenty long, in one
end of which was a stairway leading to an upper
level and in the '^ther an opening to a similar stair-
way leading downward. The chamber, though on
a level with the ground, was brilliantly lighted by
windows in its inner wall, the light coming from ai
circular court in the center of the tower. The walls
of this court appeared to be faced with what resem-
bled glazed, white tile and the whole interior of it
was flooded with dazzling light, a fact which im-
mediately explained to the girl the purpose of the
glass prisms of which the domes were constructed.
The stairways themselves were sufficient to cause
remark, since in nearly all Barsoomian architecture
inclined runways are utilized for purposes of com^
munication between different levels, and especially
is this true of the more ancient forms and of those
of remote districts where fewer changes have come
to alter the customs of antiquity.

Down the stairway her captor led Tara of
Helium. Down and down through chambers still
lighted from the brilliant well. Occasionally they

70

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

passed others going in the opposite direction and
these always stopped to examine the girl and ask
questions of her captor.

'‘I know nothing but that she was found in the
fields and that I caught her after a fight in which
she slew two rykors and in which I slew a Moak,
and that I take her to Luud, to whom, of course,
she belongs. If Luud wishes to question her that
is for Luud to do — not for me.'* Thus always he
answered the curious.

Presently they reached a room from which a cir-
cular tunnel led away from the tower, and into this
the creature conducted her. The tunnel was some
seven feet in diameter and flattened on the bottom
to form a walk. For a hundred feet from the tower
it was lined with the same tile-like material of the
light well and amply illuminated by reflected light
from that source. Beyond it was faced with stone
of various shapes and sizes, neatly cut and fitted
together — a very fine mosaic without a pattern.
There were branches, too, and other tunnels which
crossed this, and occasionally openings not more
than a foot in diameter; these latter being usually
close to the floor. Above each of these smaller
openings was painted a different device, while upon
the walls of the larger tunnels at all intersections
and points of convergence hieroglyphics appeared.
These the girl could not read though she guessed
that they were the names of the tunnels, or notices

CAPTURED

71

indicating the points to which they led. She tried
to study some of them out, but there was not a
character that was familiar to her, which seemed
strange, since, while the written languages of the
various nations of Barsoom differ, it still is true
that they have many characters and words in
common.

She had tried to converse with her guard but
he had not seemed inclined to talk with her and
she had finally desisted. She could not but note
that he had offered her no indignities, nor had he
been either unnecessarily rough or in any way cruel.
The fact that she had slain two of the bodies with
her dagger had apparently aroused no animosity or
desire for revenge in the minds of the strange heads
that surmounted the bodies — even those whose
bodies had been killed. She did not try to under-
stand it, since she could not approach the peculiar
relationship between the heads and the bodies of
these creatures from the basis of any past knowl-
edge or experience of her own. So far their treat-
ment of her seemed to augur naught that might
arouse her fears. Perhaps, after all, she had been
fortunate to fall into the hands of these strange
people, who might not only protect her from harm,
but even aid her in returning to Helium. That they
were repulsive and uncanny she could not forget,
but if they meant her no harm she could, at least,
overlook their repulsiveness. Renewed hope

72

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

aroused within her a spirit of greater cheerfulness,
and it was almost blithely now that she moved at
the side of her weird companion. She even caught
herself humming a gay little tune that was then
popular in Helium. The creature at her side turned
its expressionless eyes upon her.

‘‘What is that noise that you are making?’’ it
asked.

“I was but humming an air/’ she replied.

“‘Humming an air/” he repeated. “I do not
know what you mean; but do it again, I like it.”^'

This time she sang the words, while her com^*
panion listened intently. His face gave no indica-
tion of what was passing in that strange head. Ic
was as devoid of expression as that of a spider. It
reminded her of a spider. When she had finished
he turned toward her again.

“That was different,” he said. “I liked that
better, even, than the other. How do you do it ? ”

“Why,” she said, “it is singing. Do you not
know what song is ? ”

“ No,” he replied. “ Tell me how you do it.”

“It is difficult to explain,” she told him, “since
any explanation of it presupposes some knowledge
of melody and of music, while your very question
indicates that you have no knowledge of either.”

“No,” he said, “I do not know what you are
talking about; but tell me how you do it.”

“It is merely the melodious modulations of my

CAPTURED

73

voice/' she explained. ‘'Listen!'' and again she
sang.

“I do not understand," he insisted; “but I like
it. Could you teach me to do it?"

“ I do not know, but I shall be glad to try."

“ We will see what Luud does with you," he said.
“If he does not want you I will keep you and you
shall teach me to make sounds like that."

At his request she sang again as they continued
their way along the winding tunnel, which was now
lighted by occasional bulbs which appeared to be
similar to the radium bulbs with which she was
familiar and which were common to all the nations
of Barsoom, insofar as she knew, having been per-
fected at so remote a period that their very origin
was lost in antiquity. They consist, usually, of a)
hemispherical bowl of heavy glass in which is
packed a compound containing what, according to
John Carter, must be radium. The bowl is then
cemented into a metal plate with a heavily insulated
back and the whole affair set in the masonry of wall
or ceiling as desired, where it gives off light of
greater or less intensity, according to the composi-
tion of the filling material, for an almost incal-
culable period of time.

As they proceeded they met a greater number of
the inhabitants of this underground world, and the
girl noted that among many of these the metal and
harness were more ornate than had been those of

74

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

the workers in the fields above. The heads and
bodies, however, were similar, even identical, she
thought. No one offered her harm and she was now
^ experiencing a feeling of relief almost akin to hap-
piness, when her guide turned suddenly into an open-
ing on the right side of the tunnel and she found
herself in a large, well lighted chamber.

CHAPTER V

The perfect brain

The song that had been upon her lips as she'
entered died there — frozen by the sight of
horror that met her eyes. In the center of the
chamber a headless body lay upon the floor — a body
that had been partially devoured — while over and
upon it crawled a half a dozen heads upon their
short, spider legs, and they tore at the flesh of the
woman with their chelae and carried the bits to
their awful mouths. They were eating human
flesh — eating it raw !

Tara of Helium gasped in horror and turning
away covered her eyes with her palms.

‘‘Come!’’ said her captor. “What is the mat-
ter?”

“They are eating the flesh of the woman,” she
whispered in tones of horror.

“Why not?” he inquired. “Did you suppose
that we kept the rykor for labor alone? Ah, no.
They are delicious when kept and fattened. Fortu-
nate, too, are those that are bred for food, since
they are never called upon to do aught but eat.”

“ It is hideous ! ” she cried.

He looked at her steadily for a moment, but
75

le^lTHE CHESSMEN OF MARS

whether in surprise, in anger, or in pity his ex-
pressionless face did not reveal. Then he led her
on across the room past the frightful thing, from
which she turned away her eyes. Lying about the
floor near the walls were half a dozen headless
4K)dies in harness. These she guessed had been
abandoned tanporarily by the feasting heads until
they again required their services. In the walls of
this room there were many of the small, round open-
ings she had noticed in various parts of the tunnels,
the purpose of which she could not guess.

They passed through another corridor and then
into a second chamber, larger than the first and
more brilliantly illuminated. Within were several
of the creatures with heads and bodies assembled,
while many headless bodies lay about near the walls„
Here her captor halted and spoke to one of the oc-
cupants of the chamber.

‘‘I seek Luud,'' he said. bring to Luud a
creature that I captured in the fields above.”

The others crowded about to examine Tara of
Helium. One of them whistled, whereupon the girl
learned something of the smaller openings in the
walls, for almost immediately there crawled from
them, like giant spiders, a score or more of the
hideous heads. Each sought one of the recumbent
bodies and fastened itself in place. Immediately the
bodies reacted to the intelligent direction of the
heads. They arose, the hands adjusted the leather

THE PERFECT BRAIN

77

collars and put the balance of the harness in order,
then the creatures crossed the room to where Tara
of Helium stood. She noted that their leather was
more highly ornamented than that worn by any of
the others she had previously seen, and so she
guessed that these must be higher in authority than
the others. Nor was she mistaken. The demeanor
of her captor indicated it. He addressed them as
one who holds intercourse with superiors.

Several of those who examined her felt her flesh,
pinching it gently between thumb and forefinger, a
familiarity that the girl resented. She struck down
their hands. ‘‘Do not touch me!’’ she cried, im-
periously, for was she not a princess of Helium?
The expressions on those terrible faces did not
change. She could not tell whether they were angry
or amused, whether her action had filled them with
respect for her, or contempt. Only one of them
spoke immediately.

“ She will have to be fattened more,” he said.

The girl’s eyes went wide in horror. She turned
upon her captor. “ Do these frightful creatures in-
tend to devour me?” she cried.

“That is for Luud to say,” he replied, and then
he leaned closer so that his mouth was near her
ear. “ That noise you made which you called song
pleased me,” he whispered, “ and I will repay you
by warning you not to antagonize these kaldanes.
They are very powerful. Luud listens to them. Do

78

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

not call them frightful. They are very handsome.
Look at their wonderful trappings, their gold, their
jewels.'’

Thank you,” she said. ‘‘You called them kal-
danes — what does that mean?”

“We are all kaldanes,” he replied.

“You, too?” and she pointed at him', her slim
finger directed toward his chest.

“No, not this,” he explained, touching his body;
“this is a rykor; but this,” and he touched his head,
“is a kaldane. It is the brain, the intellect, the
power that directs all things. The rykor,” he in-
dicated his body, “is nothing. It is not so much
even as the jewels upon our harness; no, not so
much as the harness itself. It carries us about. It
is true that we would find difficulty getting along
without it; but it has less value than harness or
jewels because it is less difficult to reproduce.” He
turned again to the other kaldanes, “Will you
notify Luud that I am here ? ” he asked.

“Sept has already gone to Luud. He will tell
him,” replied one, “ Where did you find this rykor
with the strange kaldane that cannot detach itself?”

The girl’s captor narrated once more the story of
her capture. He stated facts just as they had
occurred, without embellishment, his voice as
expressionless as his face, and his story was received
in the same manner that it was delivered. The
creatures seemed totally lacking in emotion, or, at

THE PERFECT BRAIN

79

least, the capacity to express it It was impossible
to judge what impression the story made upon
them, or even if they heard it. Their protruding
eyes simply stared and occasionally the muscles of
their mouths opened and closed. Familiarity did
not lessen the horror the girl felt for them. The
more she saw of them the more repulsive they
seemed. Often her body was shaken by convulsive
shudders as she looked at the kaldanes, but when
her eyes wandered to the beautiful bodies and she
could for a moment expunge the heads from her
consciousness the effect was soothing and refresh-
ing, though when the bodies lay, headless, upon the
floor they were quite as shocking as the heads
mounted on bodies. But by far the most grewsome
and uncanny sight of all was that of the heads
crawling about upon their spider legs. If one of
these should approach and touch her Tara of Helium
was positive that she should scream, while should
one attempt to crawl up her person — ugh! the-
very idea induced a feeling of faintness.

Sept returned to the chamber. ‘‘Luud will see
you and the captive. Come!” he said, and turned
toward a door opposite that through which Tara of
Helium had entered the chamber. ‘‘What is your
name?” His question was directed to the girl’s
captor.

“I anl Ghek, third foreman of the fields of
Luud,” he answered.

So

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

‘‘And hers?”

“ I do not know.”

“ It makes no difference. Come ! ”

The patrician brows of Tara of Helkim went
high. It made no difference, indeed ! She, a
princess of Helium; only daughter of The Warlord
of Barsoom !

“Wait!” she cried. “It makes much difference
who I am. If you are conducting me into the pres-
ence of your jed you may announce The Princess
Tara of Helium, daughter of John Carter, The
Warlord of Barsoom.”

“ Hold your peace ! ” commanded Sept. “ Speak
when you are spoken to. Come with me!”

The anger of Tara of Helium all but choked her.
“ Come,” admonished Ghek, and took her by the
arm, and Tara of Helium came. She was naught
but a prisoner. Her rank and titles meant nothing
to these inhuman monsters. They led her through
a short, S-shaped passageway into a chamber en-
tirely lined with the white, tile-like material with
which the interior of the light wall was faced.
Close to the base of the walls were numerous smaller
apertures, circular in shape, but larger than those
of similar aspect that she had noted elsewhere. The
majority of these apertures were sealed. Directly
opposite the entrance was one framed in gold, and
above it a peculiar device was inlaid in the same
precious metal.

THE PERFECT BRAIN

8i

Sept and Ghek halted just within the room, the
girl between them, and all three stood silently facing
the opening in the opposite wall. On the floor be-
side the aperture lay a headless male body of almost
heroic proportions, and on either side of this stood
2L heavily armed warrior, with drawn sword. For
perhaps five minutes the three waited and then
something appeared in the opening. It was a pair
of large chelae and immediately thereafter there
crawled forth a hideous kaldane of enormous pro-
portions. He was half again as large as any that
Tara of Helium had yet seen and his whole aspect
infinitely more terrible. The skin of the others was
a bluish gray — this one was of a little bluer tinge
and the eyes were ringed with bands of white and
scarlet, as was its mouth. From each nostril a band
of white and one of scarlet extended outward hori-
zontally the width of the face.

No one spoke or moved. The creature crawled
to the prostrate body and affixed itself to the neck.
Then the two rose as one and approached the girl.
He looked at her and then he spoke to her captor.

'‘You are the third foreman of the fields of
Luud ? ” he asked'

"Yes, Luud; I am called Ghek.”

" Tell me what you know of this,” and he nodded
toward Tara of Helium.

Ghek did as he was bid and then Luud addressed
the girl.

82

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

'‘What were you doing within the borders of
Bantoom?” he asked.

“ I was blown hither in a great storm' that in-
jured my flier and carried me I knew not where.
I came down into the valley at night for food and
drink. The banths came and drove me to the safety
of a tree, and then your people caught me as I was
trying to leave the valley. I do not know why
they took me. I was doing no harm. All I ask is
that you let me go my way in peace.”

“ None who enters Bantoom ever leaves,” replied
Luud.

“But my people are not at war with yours. I
am a princess of Helium; my great-grandfather is
a jeddak; my grandfather a jed; and my father is
Warlord of all Barsoom. You have no right to
keep me and I demand that you liberate me at
once.”

“None who enters Bantoom ever leaves,” re-
peated the creature without expression. “I know
nothing of the lesser creatures of Barsoom, of whom
you speak. There is but one high race — the race
of Bantoomians. All Nature exists to serve them.
You shall do your share, but not yet — you are too
skinny. We shall have to put some fat upon it.
Sept. I tire of rykor. Perhaps this will have a
different flavor. The banths are too rank and it is
seldom that any other creature enters the valley.
And you, Ghek; you shall be rewarded. I shall

THE PERFECT BRAIN

promote you from the fields to the burrows. Here-
after you shall remain underground as every Ban-
toomian longs to. No more shall you be forced to
endure the hated sun, or look upon the hideous sky,
or the hateful growing things that defile the surface.
For the present you shall look after this thing that
you have brought me, seeing that it sleeps and
eats — and does nothing else. You understand me,
Ghek ; nothing else ! ”

‘‘ I understand, Luud,” replied the other.

‘‘Take it away!’’ commanded the creature.

Ghek turned and led Tara of Helium from the
apartment. The girl was horrified by contemplation
of the fate that awaited her — a fate from which
it seemed, there was no escape. It was only too
evident that these creatures possessed no gentle or
chivalric sentiments to which she could appeal, and
that she might escape from the labyrinthine mazes
of their underground burrows appeared impossible.

Outside the audience chamber Sept overtook them
and conversed with Ghek for a brief period, then
her keeper led her through a confusing web of wind-
ing tunnels until they came to a small apartment.

“We are to remain here for a while. It may
be that Luud will send for you again. If he does
you will probably not be fattened — he will use you
for another purpose.” It was fortunate for the
girl’s peace of mind that she did not realize what
he meant. “Sing for me,” said Ghek, presently.

84 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Tara of Helium did not feel at all like singing, but
she sang, nevertheless, for there was always the hope
that she might escape if given the opportunity and
if she could win the friendship of one of the crea-
tures, her chances would be increased proportion-
ately. All during the ordeal, for such it was to the
overwrought girl, Ghek stood with his eyes fixed
upon her.

‘‘ It is wonderful,’’ he said, when she had finished ;
'"but I did not tell Luud — you noticed that I did
not tell Luud about it. Had he known, he would
have had you sing to him and that would have
resulted in your being kept with him that he might
hear you sing whenever he wished; but now I can
have you all the time.”

How do you know he would like my singing ? ”
she asked.

‘‘He would have to,” replied Ghek. “If I like
a thing he has to like it, for are we not iden-
tical— all of us?”

“ The people of my race do not all like the same
things,” said the girl.

“How strange!” commented Ghek. “All kal-
danes like the same things and dislike the same
things. If I discover something new and like it I
know that all kaldanes will like it. That is how I
know that Luud would like your singing. You see
we are all exactly alike.”

“ But you do not look like Luud,” said the girl.

THE PERFECT BRAIN

85

"Luud is king. He is larger and more gor-
geously marked ; but otherwise he and I are identical,
and why not? Did not Luud produce the egg from
which I hatched?”

“What?” queried the girl; “I do not under-
stand you.”

“Yes,” explained Ghek, “all of us are from
Luud’s eggs, just as all the swarm of Moak are
from Moak’s eggs.”

“Oh!” exclaimed Tara of Helium understand-
ingly; “you mean that Luud has many wives and
that you are the offspring of one of them.”

“ No, not that at all,” replied Ghek. “ Luud has
no wife. He lays the eggs himself. You do not
understand.”

Tara of Helium admitted that she did not.

“I will try to explain, then,” said Ghek, “if you
will promise to sing to me later.”

“ I promise,” she said.

“ We are not like the rykors,” he began. “ They
are creatures of a low order, like yourself and the
banths and such things. We have no sex — not
one of us except our king, who is bi-sexual. He
produces many eggs from which we, the workers
and the warriors, are hatched; and one in every
thousand eggs is another king egg, from which a
king is hatched. Did you notice the sealed openings
in the room where you saw Luud? Sealed in each
of those is another king. If one of them escaped

86

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

he would fall upon Luud and try to kill him and if
he succeeded we should have a new king; but there
would be no difference. His name would be Luud
antx all would go on as before, for are we not all
alike? Luud has lived a long time and has pro-
duced many kings, so he lets only a few live that
there may be a successor to him when he dies. The
others he kills.’’

“ Why does he keep more than one ? ” queried the
girl.

Sometimes accidents occur,” replied Ghek,
‘‘and all the kings that a swarm has saved are
killed. When this happens the swarm comes and
obtains another king from a neighboring swarm.”

‘‘ Are all of you the children of Luud ? ” she asked.

‘‘All but a few, who are from the eggs of the
preceding king, as was Luud; but Luud has lived
a long time and not many of the others are left.”

“You live a long time, or short?” Tara asked.

“A very long time.”

“And the rykors, too ; they live a long time ? ”

“No; the rykors live for ten years, perhaps,” he
said, “if they remain strong and useful. When
they can no longer be of service to us, either through
age or sickness, we leave them in the fields and the
banths come at night and get them.”

“ How horrible ! ” she exclaimed.

“Horrible?” he repeated. “I see nothing hor-
rible about that. The rykors are but brainless flesh.

THE PERFECT BRAIN

87

They neither see, nor feel, nor hear. They can
scarce move but for us. If we did not bring them
food they would starve to death. They are lei'S
deserving of thought than our leather. All that
they can do for themselves is to take food from
a trough and put it in their mouths, but with
us — look at them ! and he proudly exhibited the
noble figure that he surmounted, palpitant with life
and energy and feeling.

‘‘How do you do it?’’ asked Tara of Helium.
“I do not understand it at all.”

“I will show you,” he said, and lay down upon
the floor. Then he detached himself from the body,
which lay as a thing dead. On his spider legs he
walked toward the girl. “Now look,” he admon-
ished her. “Do you see this thing?” and he ex-
tended what appeared to be a bundle of tentacles
from the posterior part of his head. “ There is an
aperture just back of the rykor’s mouth and directly
over the upper end of his spinal column. Into this
aperture I insert my tentacles and seize the spinal
cord. Immediately I control every muscle of the
rykor’s body — it becomes my own, just as you di-
rect the movement of the muscles of your body. I
feel what the rykor would feel if he had a head and
brain. If he is hurt, I would suffer if I remained
connected with him; but the instant one of them
is injured or becomes sick we desert it for another.
As we would suffer the pains of their physical in-

88

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

juries, similarly do we enjoy the physical pleasures
of the rykors. When your body becomes fatigued
you are comparatively useless; if it is sick, you are
sick; if it is killed, you die. You are the slave of
a mass of stupid flesh and bone and blood. There
is nothing more wonderful about your carcass than
there is about the carcass of a banth. It is only
your brain that makes you superior to the banth,
but your brain is bound by the limitations of your
body. Not so, ours. With us brain is everything.
Ninety per centum of our volume is brain. We
have only the simplest of vital organs and they are
very small for they do not have to assist in the
support of a complicated system of nerves, muscles,
flesh, and bone. We have no lungs, for we do not
require air. Far below the levels to which we can
take the rykors is a vast network of burrows where
the real life of the kaldane is lived. There the air-
breathing rykor would perish as you would perish.
There we have stored vast quantities of food in
hermetically sealed chambers. It will last forever.
Far beneath the surface is water that will flow for
countless ages after the surface water is exhausted.
We are preparing for the time we know must
come — the time when the last vestige of the Bar-
soomian atmosphere is spent — when the waters and
the food are gone. For this purpose were we cre-
ated, that there might not perish from the planet
Nature's divinest creation — the perfect brain."

THE PERFECT BRAIN

89

“ But what purpose can you serve when that time
comes?’’ asked the girl.

‘‘You do not understand,” he said. “It is too
big for you to grasp, but I will try to explain it
Barsoom, the moons, the sun, the stars, were cre-
ated for a single purpose. From the beginning of
time Nature has labored arduously toward the con-
summation of this purpose. At the very beginning
things existed with life, but with no brain. Grad-
ually rudimentary nervous systems and minute
brains evolved. Evolution proceeded. The brains
became larger and more powerful. In us you see
the highest development; but there are those of us
who believe that there is yet another step — that
some time in the far future our race shall develop
into the super-thing — just brain. The incubus of
legs and chelae and vital organs will be removed.
The future kaldane will be nothing but a great brain,
deaf, dumb, and blind it will lie sealed in its buried
vault far beneath the surface of Barsoom — just a
great, wonderful, beautiful brain with nothing to
distract it from eternal thought.”

“You mean it will just lie there and think?”
cried Tara of Helium.

“Just that!” he exclaimed. “Could aught be
more wonderful?”

“Yes,” replied the girl, “I can think of a num-
ber of things that would be infinitely more won-
derful.”

CHAPTER VI

IN THEJ TOILS OF HORROR

WHAT the creature had told her gave Tara of
Helium food for thought. She had been
taught that every created thing fulfilled some useful
purpose, and she tried conscientiously to discover
just what was the rightful place of the kaldane in the
universal scheme of things. She knew that it must
have its place but what that place was it was beyond
her to conceive. She had to give it up. They re-
called to her mind a little group of people in Helium
who had forsworn the pleasures of life in the pursuit
of knowledge. They were rather patronizing in
their relations with those whom they thought not
so intellectual. They considered themselves quite
superior. She smiled at recollection of a remark
her father had once made concerning them, to the
effect that if one of them ever dropped his egotism
and broke it it would take a week to fumigate
Helium. Her father liked normal people — people
who knew too little and people who knew too much
were equally a bore. Tara of Helium was like her
father in this respect and like him, too, she was both
sane and normal.

Outside of her personal danger there was much

90

IN THE TOILS OF HORROR

91

in this strange world that interested her. The
rykors aroused her keenest pity, and vast conjecture.
How and from what form had they evolved ? She
asked Ghek.

‘‘ Sing to me again and I will tell you,” he said.

If Luud would let me have you, you should never
die. I should keep you always to sing to me.”

The girl marvelled at the effect her voice had
upon the creature. Somewhere in that enormous
brain there was a chord that was touched by melody.
It was the sole link between' herself and the brain
when detached from the rykor. When it dominated
the rykor it might have other human instincts; but
these she dreaded even to think of. After she had
sung she waited for Ghek to speak. For a long
time he was silent, just looking at her through those
awful eyes.

wonder,” he said presently, ‘‘if it might not
be pleasant to be of your race. Do you all sing?”

“Nearly all, a little,” she said; “but we do many
other interesting and enjoyable things. We dance
and play and work and love and sometimes we
fight, for we are a race of warriors.”

“Love!” said the kaldane. “I think I know
what you mean; but we, fortunately, are above
sentiment — when we are detached. But when we
dominate the rykor — ah, that is different, and when
I hear you sing and look at your beautiful body I
know what you mean by love. I could love you.”

92

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

The girl shrank from him. ‘‘You promised to
tell me the origin of the rykor/^ she reminded him.

“Ages ago/^ he commenced, “our bodies were
larger and our heads smaller. Our legs were very
weak and we could not travel fast or far. There
was a stupid creature that went upon four legs. It
lived in a hole in the ground, to which it brought
its food, so we ran our burrows into this hole and
ate the food it brought ; but it did not bring enough
for all — for itself and all the kaldanes that lived
upon it, so we had also to go abroad and get food.
This was hard work for our weak legs. Then it
was that we commenced to ride upon the backs of
these primitive rykors. It took many ages, un-
doubtedly, but at last came the time when the kaldane
had found means to guide the rykor, until presently
the latter depended entirely upon the superior brain
of his master to guide him to food. The brain of
the rykor grew smaller as time went on. His ears
went and his eyes, for he no longer had use for
them — the kaldane saw and heard for him. By
similar steps the rykor came to go upon its hind
feet that the kaldane might be able to see farther.
As the brain shrank, so did the head. The mouth
was the only feature of the head that was used
and so the mouth alone remains. Members of the
red race fell into the hands of our ancestors from
time to time. They saw the beauties and the ad-
vantages of the form that nature had given the red

m THE TOILS OF HORROR

race over that which the rykor was developing into.
By intelligent crossing the present rykor was
achieved. He is really solely the product of the
super-intelligence of the kaldane — he is our body,
to do with as we see fit, just as you do what you see
fit with your body, only we have the advantage of
possessing an unlimited supply of bodies. Do you
not wish that you were a kaldane? '^

For how long they kept her in the subterranean
chamber Tara of Helium did not know. It seemed
a very long time. She ate and slept and watched
the interminable lines of creatures that passed the
entrance to her prison. There was a laden line pass-
ing from above carrying food, food, food. In the
other line they returned empty handed. Whe» sho
saw them she knew that it was daylight above.
When they did not pass she knew it was night, and
that the banths were about devouring the rykors
that had been abandoned in the fields the previous
day. She commenced to grow pale and thin. She
did not like the food they gave her — it was not
suited to her kind — nor would she have eaten
overmuch palatable food, for the fear of becoming
fat. The idea of plumpness had a new significance
here — a horrible significance.

Ghek noted that she was growing thin and white.
He spoke to her about it and she told him that she
could not thrive thus beneath the ground — that she
must have fresh air and sunshine, or she would

94

THE 'CHESSMEN OF MARS

wither and die. Evidently he carried her words to
Luud, since it was not long after that he told her
that the king had ordered that she be confined in
the tower and to the tower she was taken. She had
hoped against hope that this very thing might result
from her conversation with Ghek. Even to see the
sun again was something, but now there sprang to
her breast a hope that she had not dared to nurse
before, while she lay in the terrible labyrinth from
which she knew she could never have found her
way to the outer world; but now there was some
slight reason to hope. At least she could see the
hills and if she could see them might there not
come also the opportunity to reach them? If she
could have but ten minutes — just ten little
minutes! The flier was still there — she knew
that it must be. Just ten minutes and she would be
free — free forever from this frightful place; but
the days wore on and she was never alone, not even
for half of ten minutes. Many times she planned
her escape. Had it not been for the banths it had
been easy of accomplishment by night. Ghek al-
ways detached his body then and sank into what
seemed a semi-comatose condition. It could not be
said that he slept, or at least it did not appear like
sleep, since his lidless eyes were unchanged ; but he
lay quietly in a comer. Tara of Helium enacted a
thousand times in her mind the scene of her escape.
She would rush to the side of the rykor and seize

IN THE TOILS OF HORROR

95

the sword that hung in its harness. Before Ghek
knew what she purposed, she would do this and then
before he could give an alarm she would drive the
blade through his hideous head. It would take but
a moment to reach the enclosure. The rykors could
not stop her, for they had no brains to tell them
that she was escaping. She had watched from her
window the opening and closing of the gate that
led from the enclosure out into the fields and she
knew how the great latch operated. She would pass
through and make a quick dash for the hill. It was
so near that they could not overtake her. It was
so easy ! Or it would have been but for the banths !
The banths at night and the workers in the fields
by day.

Confined to the tower and without proper exercise
or food, the girl failed to show the improvercent
that her captors desired. Ghek questioned her in
an effort to learn why it was that she did not grow
round and plump ; that she did not even look as well
as when they had captured her. His concern was
prompted by repeated inquiries on the part of Luud
and finally resulted in suggesting to Tara of Helium
a plan whereby she might find a new opportunity of
escape.

“I am accustomed to walking in the fresh air
and the sunlight,’’ she told Ghek. “ I cannot become
as I was before if I am to be always shut away in
this one chamber, breathing poor air and getting no

96 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

proper exercise. Permit me to go out in the fields
every day and walk about while the sun is shining.
Then, I am sure, I shall become nice and fat.’*

“ You would run away,” he said.

‘‘But how could I if you were always with me?”
she asked. '‘And even if I wished to run away^
where could I go? I do not know even the direc-
tion of Helium. It must be very far. The very
first night the banths would get me, would they
not?”

"They would,” said Ghek. "I will ask Luud
about it.”

The following day he told her that Luud had
said that she was to be taken into the fields. He
would try that for a time and see if she improved.

"If you do not grow fatter he will send for you
anyway,” said Ghek ; " but he will not use you for
food.”

Tara of Helium shuddered.

That day and for many days thereafter she was
taken from the tower, through the enclosure and
out into the fields. Always was she alert for an
opportunity to escape; but Ghek was always close
by her side. It was not so much his presence that
deterred her from making the attempt as the num-
ber of workers that were always between her and
the hills where the flier lay. She could easily have
eluded Ghek, but there were too many of the others.
And then, one day, Ghek told her as he accom-

IN THE TOILS OF HORROR 97

panied her into the open that this would be the last
time.

‘'Tonight you go to Luud,” he said. ‘‘I am
sorry as I shall not hear you sing again.”

“Tonight!” She scarce breathed the word, yet
it was vibrant with horror.

She glanced quickly toward the hills. They were
so close! Yet between were the inevitable work-
ers — perhaps a score of them.

“Let us walk over there?” she said, indicating
them. “ I should like to see what they are doing.”

“ It is too far,” said Ghek. “ I hate the sun. It
is much pleasanter here where I can stand beneath
the shade of this tree.”

“All right,” she agreed; “then you stay here
and I will walk over. It will take me but a minute.”

“ No,” he answered. “ I will go with you. You
want to escape ; but you are not going to.”

“ I cannot escape,” she said.

“ I know it,” agreed Ghek ; “ but you might try.
I do not wish you to try. Possibly it will be better
if we return to the tower at once. It would go
hard with me should you escape.”

Tara of Helium saw her last chance fading into
oblivion. There would never be another after to-
day. She cast about for some pretext to lure him
even a little nearer to the hills.

“It is very little that I ask,” she said. “Tonight
you will want me to sing to you. It will be the

98 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

last time. If you do not let me go and see what
those kaldanes are doing I shall never sing to you
again.’’

Ghek hesitated. ‘‘I will hold you by the arm
all the time, then,” he said.

“Why, of course, if you wish,” she assented.
“ Come ! ”

The two moved toward the workers and the hills,
The little party was digging tubers from the
ground. She had noted this and that nearly always
they were stooped low over their work, the hideous
eyes bent upon the upturned soil. She led Ghek
quite close to them, pretending that she wished to
see exactly how they did the work, and all the time
he held her tightly by her left wrist.

“ It is very interesting,” she said, with a sigh, and
then, suddenly; “Look, Ghek!” and pointed quickly
back in the direction of the tower. The kaldane,
still holding her turned half away from her to look
in the direction she had indicated and simulta-
neously, with the quickness of a banth, she struck him
with her right fist, backed by every ounce of strength
she possessed — struck the back of the pulpy head
just above the collar. The blow was sufficient to
accomplish her design, dislodging the kaldane from
its rykor and tumbling it to the ground. Instantly
the grasp upon her wrist relaxed as the body, no
longer controlled by the brain of Ghek, stumbled
aimlessly about for an instant before it sank to its

IN THE TOILS OF HORROR

99

knees and then rolled over on its back; but Tara
of Helium waited not to note the full results of her
act. The instant the fingers loosened upon her wrist
she broke away and dashed toward the hills. Simul-
taneously a warning whistle broke from Ghek’s lips
and in instant response the workers leaped to their
feet, one almost in the girl’s path. She dodged the
outstretched arms and was away again toward the
hills and freedom, when her foot caught in one of
the hoe-like instruments with which the soil had
been upturned and which had been left, half im-
bedded in the ground. For an instant she ran on,
stumbling, in a mad effort to regain her equilibrium,
but the upturned furrows caught at her feet — again
she stumbled and this time went down, and as she
scrambled to rise again a heavy body fell upon her
and seized her arms. A moment later she was sur-
rounded and dragged to her feet and as she looked
around she saw Ghek crawling to his prostrate
rykor. A moment later he advanced to her side.

The hideous face, incapable of registering emo-
tion, gave no clue to what was passing in the enor-
mous brain. Was he nursing thoughts of anger, of
hate, of revenge? Tara of Helium could not guess,
nor did she care. The worst had happened. She
had tried to escape and she had failed. There
would never be another opportunity.

‘‘Come!” said Ghek. “We will return to the
tower.” The deadly monotone of his voice was

loo THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

unbroken. It was worse than anger, for it revealed
nothing of his intentions. It but increased her
horror of these great brains that were beyond the
possibility of human emotions.

And so she was dragged back to her prison in the
tower and Ghek took up his vigil again, squatting
by the doorway, but now he carried a naked sword
in his hand and did not quit his rykor, only to
change to another that he had brought to him when
the first gave indications of weariness. The girl sat
looking at him. He had not been unkind to her,
but she felt no sense of gratitude, nor, on the other
hand, any sense of hatred. The brains, incapable
themselves of any of the finer sentiments, awoke
none in her. She could not feel gratitude, or affec-
tion, or hatred of them. There was only the same
unceasing sense of horror in their presence. She
had heard great scientists discuss the future of the
red race and she recalled that some had maintained
that eventually the brain would entirely dominate
the man. There would be no more instinctive acts
or emotions, nothing would be done on impulse ; but
on the contrary reason would direct our every act.
The propounder of the theory regretted that he
might never enjoy the blessings of such a state,
which, he argued, would result in the ideal life for
mankind. Tara of Helium wished with all her heart
that this learned scientist might be here to experi-
ence to the full the practical results of the fulfillment

IN THE TOILS OF HORROR loi

of his prophecy. Between the purely physical rykcr
and the purely mental kaldane there was little
choice; but in the happy medium of normal,
and imperfect, man, as she knew him, lay the most
desirable state of existence. It would have been a
splendid object lesson, she thought, to all those ideal-
ists who seek mass perfection in any phase of human
endeavor, since here they might discover the truth
that absolute perfection is as little to be desired as
is its antithesis.

Gloomy were the thoughts that filled the mind
of Tara of Helium as she awaited the summons
from Luud — the summons that could mean for
her but one thing; death. She guessed why he had
sent for her and she knew that she must find the
means for self-destruction before the night was
over; but still she clung to hope and to life. She
would not give up until there was no other way.
She startled Ghek once by exclaiming aloud, almost
fiercely: still live!”

‘‘What do you mean?” asked the kaldane.

“I mean just what I say,” she replied. “I still
live and while I live I may still find a way. Dead,
there is no hope.”

“ Find a way to what? ” he asked.

“ To life and liberty and mine own people,” she
responded.

“None who enters Bantoom ever leaves,” he
droned.

102 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

She did not reply and after a time he spoke again.
‘‘ Sing to me/’ he said.

It was while she was singing that four warriors
came to take her to Luud. They told Ghek that
he was to remain where he was.

“Why?” asked Ghek.

“ You have displeased Luud,” replied one of the
warriors.

“How?” demanded Ghek.

“You have demonstrated a lack of uncontamin-
able reasoning power. You have permitted senti-
ment to influence you, thus demonstrating that you
are a defective. You know the fate of defectives.”

“ I know the fate of defectives, but I am no de-
fective,” insisted Ghek.

“You permitted the strange noises which issue
from her throat to please and soothe you, knowing
well that their origin and purpose had nothing what-
ever to do with logic or the powers of reason. This
in itself constitutes an unimpeachable indictment of
weakness. Then, influenced doubtless by an illogi-
cal feeling of sentiment, you permitted her to walk
abroad in the fields to a place where she was able
to make an almost successful attempt to escape.
Your own reasoning power, were it not defective,
would convince you that you are unfit. The natural,
and reasonable, consequence is destruction. There-
fore you will be destroyed in such a way that the
example will be beneficial to all other kaldanes of

IN THE TOILS OF HORROR T03

the swarm of Luud. In the meantime you will re-
main where you are/’

'‘You are right,” said Ghek. "I will remain
here until Luud sees fit to destroy me in the most
reasonable manner.”

Tara of Helium shot a look of amazement at him
as they led her from the chamber. Over her
shoulder she called back to him: “Remember,
Ghek, you still live ! ” Then they led her along the
interminable tunnels to where Luud awaited her.

When she was conducted into his presence he was
squatting in a corner of the chamber upon his six
spidery legs. Near the opposite wall lay his rykor,
its beautiful form trapped in gorgeous harness — a
dead thing without a guiding kaldane. Luud dis-
missed the warriors who had accompanied the
prisoner. Then he sat with his terrible eyes fixed
upon her and without speaking for some time. Tara
of Helium could but wait. What was to come she
could only guess. When it came would be
sufficiently the time to meet it. There was no ne-
cessity for anticipating the end. Presently Luud
spoke.

“You think to escape,” he said, in the deadly,
expressionless monotone of his kind — the only
possible result of orally expressing reason uninflu-
enced by sentiment. “You will not escape. You
are merely the embodiment of two imperfect
things — an imperfect brain and an imperfect

104 the chessmen OF MARS

body. The two cannot exist together in perfection.
There you see a perfect body.'* He pointed toward
the rykor. “ It has no brain. Here,” and he raised
one of his chelae to his head, ‘Ms the perfect brain.
It needs no body to function perfectly and properly
as a brain. You would pit your feeble intellect
against mine ! Even now you are planning to .slay
me. If you are thwarted in that you expect to slay
yourself. You will learn the power of mind over
matter. I am the mind. You are the matter.
What brain you have is too weak and ill-developed
to deserve the name of brain. You have permitted
it to be weakened by impulsive acts dictated by
sentiment. It has no value. It has practically no
control over your existence. You will not kill me.
You will not kill yourself. When I am through
with you you shall be killed if it seems the logical
thing to do. You have no conception of the possi-
bilities for power which lie in a perfectly developed
brain. Look at that rykor. He has no brain. He
can move but slightly of his own volition. An
inherent mechanical instinct that we have permitted
to remain in him allows him to carry food to his
mouth; but he could not find food for himself. We
have to place it within his reach and always in the
same place. Should we put food at his feet and
leave him alone he would starve to death. But now
watch what a real brain may accomplish.”

He turned his eyes upon the rykor and squatted

IN THE TOILS OF HORROR 105

there glaring at the insensate thing. Presently, to
the girl’s horror, the headless body moved. It rose
slowly to its feet and crossed the room to Luud; ft
stooped and took the hideous head in its hands; it
raised the head and set it on its shoulders.

'‘What chance have you against such power?”
asked Luud. "As I did with the rykor so can I do
with you.”

Tara of Helium made no reply. Evidently no
vocal reply was necessary.

"You doubt my ability!” stated Luud, which
was precisely the fact, though the girl had only
thought it — she had not said it.

Luud crossed the room and lay down. Then he
detached himself from the body and crawled across
the floor until he stood directly in front of the cir-
cular opening through which she had seen him
emerge the day that she had first been brought to
his presence. He stopped there and fastened his ter-
rible eyes upon her. He did not speak, but his eyes
seemed to be boring straight to the center of her
brain. She felt an almost irresistible force urging
her toward the kaldane. She fought to resist it;
she tried to turn away her eyes, but she could not.
They were held as in horrid fascination upon the
glittering, lidless orbs of the great brain that faced
her. Slowly, every step a painful struggle of resist-
ance, she moved toward the horrific monster. She
tried to cry aloud in an effort to awaken her numb-

io6 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

ing faculties, but no sound passed her lips. If those
eyes would but turn away, just for an instant, she
felt that she might regain the power to control her
steps; but the eyes never left hers. They seemed
but to burn deeper and deeper, gathering up every
vestige of control of her entire nervous system.

As she approached the thing it backed slowl)^' away
upon its spider legs. She noticed that its chelae
waved slowly to and fro before it as it backed,
backed, backed, through the round aperture in the
wall. Must she follow it there, too? What new
and nameless horror lay concealed in that hidden
chamber? No! she would not do it. Yet before
she reached the wall she found herself down and
crawling upon her hands and knees straight toward
the hole from which the two eyes still clung to hers.
At the very threshold of the opening she made a
last, heroic stand, battling against the force that
drew her on; but in the end she succumbed. With
a gasp that ended in a sob Tara of Helium passed
through the aperture into the chamber beyond.

The opening was but barely large enough to ad-
mit her. Upon the opposite side she found herself
in a small chamber. Before her squatted Luud.
Against the opposite wall lay a large and beautiful
male rykor. He was without harness or other
trappings.

‘‘You see now,’’ said Luud, “the futility of re-
volt.”

IN THE TOILS OF HORROR 107

The words seemed to release her momentarily
from the spell. Quickly she turned away her eyesc

‘‘Look at me!” commanded Luud.

Tara of Helium kept her eyes averted. She felt
a new strength, or at least a diminution of the crea-
ture’s power over her. Had she stumbled upon the
secret of its uncanny domination over her will?
She dared not hope. With eyes averted she turned
toward the aperture through which those baleful
eyes had drawn her. Again Luud commanded her
to stop, but the voice alone lacked all authority to
influence her. It was not like the eyes. She heard
the creature whistle and knew that it was sum-
moning assistance; but because she did not dare
look toward it she did not see it turn and concen-
trate its gaze upon the great, headless body lying
by the further wall.

The girl was still slightly under the spell of the
creature’s influence — she had not regained full
and independent domination of her powers. She
moved as one in the throes of some hideous night-
mare— slowly, painfully, as though each limb was
hampered by a great weight, or as she were dragging
her body through a viscous fluid. The aperture was
dose, ah, so close, yet, struggle as she would, she
seemed to be making no appreciable progress
toward it.

Behind her, urged on by the malevolent power of
the great brain, the headless body crawled upon all-

io8 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

fours toward her. At last she had reached the aper-
ture. Something seemed to tell her that once beyond
it the domination of the kaldane would be broken.
She was almost through into the adjoining chamber
when she felt a heavy hand close upon her ankle.
The rykor had reached forth and seized her, and
though she struggled the thing dragged her back
into the room with Luud. It held her tight and
drew her close, and then, to her horror, it com-
menced to caress her.

‘‘ You see now,” she heard Luud’s dull voice, ‘'the
futility of revolt — and its punishment.”

Tara of Helium fought to defend herself, but piti-
fully weak were her muscles against this brainless
incarnation of brute power. Yet she fought, fought
on in the face of hopeless odds for the honor of the
proud name she bore — fought alone, she whom the
fighting men of a mighty empire, the flower of
Martian chivalry, would gladljr have lain down their
lives to save.

CHAPTER VII

A REPELLENT SIGHT

The CTuiser V mat or careened through the
tempest. That she had not been dashed to*
the ground, or twisted by the force of the elements
into tangled wreckage, was due entirely to the
caprice of Nature. For all the duration of the storm
she rode, a helpless derelict, upon those storm-
tossed waves of wind. But for all the dangers and
vicissitudes they underwent, she and her crew
might have borne charmed lives up to within an hour
of the abating of the hurricane. It was then tha®
the catastrophe occurred — a catastrophe indeed t(t
the crew of the V amt or and the kingdom of Gathol.

The men had been without food or drink since
leaving Helium, and they had been hurled about
and buffeted in their lashings until all were worn
to exhaustion. There was a brief lull in the storm
during which one of the crew attempted to reach
his quarters, after releasing the lashings which had
held him to the precarious safety of the deck. The
act in itself was a direct violation of orders and, in
the eyes of the other members of the crew, the effect,
which came with startling suddenness, took the
form of a swift and terrible retribution. Scarce

109

tio

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

had the man released the safety snaps ere a swift
arm of the storm-monster encircled the ship, rolling
it over and over, with the result that the foolhardy
warrior went overboard at the first turn.

Unloosed from their lashing by the constant turn-
ing and twisting of the ship and the force of the
wind, the boarding and landing tackle had been
trailing beneath the keel, a tangled mass of cordage
and leather. Upon the occasions that the Vanator
rolled completely over, these things would be
wrapped about her until another revolution in the
opposite direction, or the wind itself, carried them
once again clear of the deck to trail, whipping in
the storm, beneath the hurtling ship.

Into this fell the body of the warrior, and as a
drowning man clutches at a straw so the fellow
clutched at the tangled cordage that caught him
and arrested his fall. With the strength of despera-
tion he clung to the cordage, seeking frantically to
entangle his legs and body in it. With each jerk
of the ship his hand holds were all but torn loose,
and though he knew that eventually they would be
and that he must be dashed to the ground beneath,
yet he fought with the madness that is born of hope-
lessness for the pitiful seconds which but prolonged
his agony.

It was upon this sight then that Gahan of Gathol
looked, over the edge of the careening deck of the
Vanator, as he sought to learn the fate of his war-

A REPELLENT SIGHT

in

rior. Lashed to the gunwale close at hand a single
landing leather that had not fouled the tangled mass
beneath whipped free from the ship’s side, the hook
snapping at its outer end. The Jed of Gathol
grasped the situation in a single glance. Below him
one of his people looked into the eyes of Death.
To the jed’s hand lay the means for succor.

There was no instant’s hesitation. Casting aff
his deck lashings, he seized the landing leather and
slipped over the ship’s side. Swinging like a bob
upon a mad pendulum he swung far out and back
again, turning and twisting three thousand feet
above the surface of Barsoom, and then, at last,
the thing he had hoped for occurred. He was car-
ried within reach of the cordage where the warrior
still clung, though with rapidly diminishing strength.
Catching one leg in a loop of the tangled strands
Gahan pulled himself close enough to seize another
quite near to the fellow. Clinging precariously to
this new hold the jed slowly drew in the landing
leather, down which he had clambered until he
could grasp the hook at its end. This he fastened
to a ring in the warrior’s harness, just before the
man’s weakened fingers slipped from their hoM
upon the cordage.

Temporarily, at least, he had saved the life of
his subject, and now he turned his attention toward
insuring his own safety. Inextricably entangled in
the mess to which he was clinging were numerous

II2

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

other landing hooks such as he had attached to the
warrior’s harness, and with one of these he sought
to secure himself until the storm should abate suf-
ficiently to permit him to climb to the deck, but even
as he reached for one that swung near him the ship
was caught in a renewed burst of the storm’s fury,
the thrashing cordage whipped and snapped to the
lunging of the great craft and one of the heavy
metal hooks, lashing through the air, struck the
Jed of Gathol fair between the eyes.

Momentarily stunned, Gahan’s fingers slipped
from their hold upon the cordage and the man shot
downward through the thin air of dying Mars
toward the ground three thousand feet beneath,
while upon the deck of the rolling Vanator his faith-
ful warriors clung to their lashings all unconscious
of the fate of their beloved leader; nor was it until
more than an hour later, after the storm had mate-
rially subsided, that they realized he was lost, or
knew the self-sacrificing heroism of the act that had
sealed his doom. The Vanator now rested upon an
even keel as she was carried along by a strong,
though steady, wind. The warriors had cast off
their deck lashings and the officers were taking ac-
count of losses and damage when a weak cry was
heard from oversides, attracting their attention to
the man hanging in the cordage beneath the keel.
Strong arms hoisted him to the deck and then
it was that the crew of the Vanator learned of

REPELLENT SIGHT

113?

the heroism of their jed and his end. How far
they had traveled since his loss they could only
vaguely guess, nor could they return in search of
him in the disabled condition of the ship. It was
a saddened company that drifted onward through
the air toward whatever destination Fate was to
choose for them.

And Gahan, Jed of Gathol — what of him?
Plummet-like he fell for a thousand feet and then
the storm seized him in its giant clutch and bore
him far aloft again. As a bit of paper borne upon
a gale he was tossed about in mid-air, the sport and
plaything of the wind. Over and over it turned him
and upward and downward it carried him, but after
each new sally of the element he was brought nearer
to the ground. The freaks of cyclonic storms are
the rule of cyclonic storms, since such storms are
in themselves freaks. They uproot and demolish
giant trees, and in the same gust they transport
frail infants for miles and deposit them unharmed
in their wake.

And so it was with Gahan of Gathol. Expecting
momentarily to be dashed to destruction he pres-
ently found himself deposited gently upon the soft,
ochre moss of a dead sea-bottom, bodily no worse
off for his harrowing adventure than in the posses-
sion of a slight swelling upon his forehead where
the metal hook had struck him. Scarcely able to
believe that Fate had dealt thus gently with him.

TI4 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

the jed arose slowly, as though more than half con-
vinced that he should discover crushed and splintered'
bones that would not support his weight. But he
was intact. He looked about him in a vain effort
at orientation. The air was filled with flying dust
and debris. The Sun was obliterated. His vision
was confined to a radius of a few hundred yards
of ochre moss and dust-filled air. Five hundred
yards away in any direction there might have arisen
the walls of a great city and he not known it. It
was useless to move from where he was until the
air cleared, since he could not know in what direc-
tion he was moving, and so he stretched himself
upon the moss and waited, pondering the fate of
his warriors and his ship, but giving little thought
to his own precarious situation.

Lashed to his harness were his swords, his pistols,
and a dagger, and in his pocket-pouch a small quan-
tity of the concentrated rations that form a part
of the equipment of the fighting men of Barsoom.
These things together with trained muscles, high
courage, and an undaunted spirit sufficed him for
whatever misadventures might lie between him and
Gathol, which lay in what direction he knew not,
nor at what distance.

The wind was falling rapidly and with it the
dust that obscured the landscape. That the storm
was over he was convinced, but he chafed at the
inactivity the low visibility put upon him, nor did

’A REPELLENT SIGHT

113.

conditions better materially before night fell, so that
he was forced to await the new day at the very
spot at which the tempest had deposited him. With-
out his sleeping silks and furs he spent a far from
comfortable night, and it was with feelings c^f un-
mixed relief that he saw the sudden dawn burst
upon him. The air was now clear and in the light
of the new day he saw an undulating plain stretch-
ing in all directions about him, while to the north-
west there were barely discernible the outlines of
low hills. Toward the southeast of Gathol was
such a country, and as Gahan surmised the direc-
tion and the velocity of the storm to have carried
him somewhere in the vicinity of the country he
thought he recognized, he assumed that Gathol lay
behind the hills he now saw, whereas, in reality,
it lay far to the northeast.

It was two days before Gahan had crossed the
plain and reached the summit of the hills from
which he hoped to see his own country, only to
meet at last with disappointment. Before him
stretched another plain, of even greater proportions
than that he had but just crossed, and beyond this
other hills. In one material respect this plain dif-
fered from that behind him in that it was dotted
with occasional isolated hills. Convinced, however,
that Gathol lay somewhere in the direction of his
search he descended into the valley and bent his
steps toward the northwest.

ri6 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

For weeks Gahan of Gathol crossed valleys and
hills in search of some familiar landmark that might
point his way toward his native land, but the sum-
mit of each succeeding ridge revealed but another
unfamiliar view. He saw few animals and no men,
until he finally came to the belief that he had fallen
upon that fabled area of ancient Barsoom which
fay under the curse of her olden gods — the once
rich and fertile country whose people in their pride
and arrogance had denied the deities, and whose
punishment had been extermination.

And then, one day, he scaled low hills and looked
into an inhabited valley — a valley of trees and
cultivated fields and plots of ground enclosed by
stone walls surrounding strange towers. He saw
people working in the fields, but he did not rush
down to greet them. First he must know more
of them and whether they might be assumed to be
friends or enemies. Hidden by concealing shrub-
bery he crawled to a vantage point upon a hill that
projected further into the valley, and here he lay
upon his belly watching the workers closest to him.
They were still quite a distance from him and he
could not be quite sure of them, but there was some-
thing verging upon the unnatural about them. Their
heads seemed out of proportion to their bodies —
too large.

For a long time he lay watching them and ever
more forcibly it was borne in upon his conscious-

A REPELLENT SIGHT

II

ness that they were not as he, and that it would
be rash to trust himself among them. Presently
he saw a couple appear from the nearest enclosure
and slowly approach those who were working near-
est to the hill where he lay in hiding. Immediately
he was aware that one of these differed from all the
Olliers. Even at the greater distance he noted that
the head was smaller and as they approached, he
was confident that the harness of one of them was
not as the harness of its companion or of that of
any of those who tilled the fields.

The two stopped often, apparently in argument,
as though one would proceed in the direction that
they were going while the other demurred. But
each time the smaller won reluctant consent from
the other, and so they came closer and closer to the
last line of workers toiling between the enclosure
from which they had come and the hill where Gahan
of Gathol lay watching, and then suddenly the
smaller figure struck its companion full in the face.
Gahan, horrified, saw the latter’s head topple from
its body, saw the body stagger and fall to the ground.
The man half rose from his concealment the better
to view the happenings in the valley below. The
creature that had felled its companion was dashing
madly in the direction of the hill upon which he
was hidden, it dodged one of the workers that
sought to seize it. Gahan hoped that it would gain
its liberty, why he did not know- other than at

ii8 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

closer range it had every appearance of being a
creature of his own race. Then he saw it stumbfe
and go down and instantly its pursuers were upon
it. Then it was that Gahan’s eyes chanced to return
to the figure of the creature the fugitive had felled.

What horror was this that he was witnessing?
Or were his eyes playing some ghastly joke upon
him? No, impossible though it was — it was true
— the head was moving slowly to the fallen body.
It placed itself upon the shoulders, the body rose,
and the creature, seemingly as good as new, ran
quickly to where its fellows were dragging the
hapless captive to its feet.

The watcher saw the creature take its prisoner by
the arm and lead it back to the enclosure, and even
across the distance that separated them from him
he could note dejection and utter hopelessness in the
bearing of the prisoner, and, too, he was half con-
vinced that it was a woman, perhaps a red Martian
of his own race. Could he be sure that this was
true he must make some effort to rescue her even
though the customs of his strange world required
it only in case she was of his own country; but
he was not sure; she might not be a red Martian
at all, or, if she were, it was as possible that she
sprang from an enemy people as not. His first duty
was to return to his own people with as little p^r-^
sonal risk as possible, and though the thought
adventure stirred his blood he put the temptation

A REPELLENT SIGHT 119

aside with a sigh and turned away from the peace-
ful and beautiful valley that he longed to enter, for
it was his intention to skirt its eastern edge and
continue his search for Gathol beyond.

As Gahan of Gathol turned his steps along the
southern slopes of the hills that bound Bantoom
upon the south and east, his attention was attracted
toward a small cluster of trees a short distance to
his right. The low sun was casting long shadows.
It would soon be night. The trees were off the
path that he had chosen and he had little mind to
be diverted from his way; but as he looked again
he hesitated. There was something there besides
boles of trees, and underbrush. There were sug-
gestions of familiar lines of the handicraft of man.
Gahan stopped and strained his eyes in the direc-
tion of the thing that had arrested his attention.
No, he must be mistaken — the branches of the
trees and a low bush had taken on an unnatural
semblance in the horizontal rays of the setting sun.
He turned and continued upon his way; but as he
cast another side glance in the direction of the ob-
ject of his interest, the sun's rays were shot back
into his eyes from a glistening point of radiance
among the trees.

Gahan shook his head and walked quickly toward
the mystery, determined now to solve it. The shin-
ing object still lured him on and when he had come
closer to it his eyes went wide in surprise, for the

120

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

thing they saw was naught else than the jewel-en-
crusted emblem upon the prow of a small flier.
Gahan, his hand upon his short-sword, moved
silently forward, but as he neared the craft he saw
that he had naught to fear, for it was deserted.
Then he turned his attention toward the emblem.
As its significance was flashed to his understanding
his face paled and his heart went cold — it was the
insignia of the house of The Warlord of Barsoom.
Instantly he saw the dejected figure of the captive
being led back to her prison in the valley just be-
yond the hills. Tara of Helium! And he had been
so near to deserting her to her fate. The cold sweat
stood in beads upon his brow.

A hasty examination of the deserted craft un-
folded to the young jed the whole tragic story. The
same tempest that had proved his undoing had borne
Tara of Helium to this distant country. Here,
doubtless, she had landed in hope of obtaining food
and water since, without a propellor, she could not
hope to reach her native city, or any other friendly
port, other than by the merest caprice of*Fate. The
flier seemed intact except for the missing propellor
and the fact that it had been carefully moored in
the shelter of the clump of trees indicated that the
girl had expected to return to it, while the dust and
leaves upon its deck spoke of the long days, and
even weeks, since she had landed. Mute yet elo-
quent proofs, these things, that Tara of Helium

A REPELLENT SIGHT

121

was a prisoner, and that she was the very prisoner
whose bold dash for liberty he had so recently wit-
nessed he now had not the slightest doubt.

The question now revolved solely about her
rescue. He knew to which tower she had been
taken — that much and no more. Of the number,
the kind, or the disposition of her captors he knew
nothing; nor did he care — for Tara of Helium he
would face a hostile world alone. Rapidly he con-
sidered several plans for succoring her; but the one
that appealed most strongly to him was that which
offered the greatest chance of escape for the girl
should he be successful in reaching her. His de-
cision reached he turned his attention quickly
toward the flier. Casting off its lashings he dragged
it out from beneath the trees, and, mounting to the
deck tested out the various controls. The motor
started at a touch and purred sweetly, the buoyancy
tanks were well stocked, and the ship answered per-
fectly to the controls which regulated her altitude.
There was nothing needed but a propellor to make
her fit for the long voyage to Helium. Gahan
shrugged impatiently — there might not be a pro-
pellor within a thousand haads. But what mattered
it? The craft even without a propellor would still
answer the purpose his plan required of it — pro-
vided the captors of Tara of Helium were a peo-
ple without ships, and he had seen nothing to
suggest that they had ships. The architecture of

122

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

their towers and enclosures assured him that they
had not.

The sudden Barsoomian night had fallen. Cluros
rode majestically the high heavens. The rumbling
roar of a banth reverberated among the hills. Gahan
of Gathol let the ship rise a few feet from the
ground, then, seizing a bow rope, he dropped over
the side. To tow the little craft was now a thing
of ease, and as Gahan moved rapidly toward the
brow of the hill above Bantoom the flier floated
behind him as lightly as a swan upon a quiet lake.
Now down the hill toward the tower dimly visible
in the moonlight the Gatholian turned his steps.
Qoser behind him sounded the roar of the hunting
banth. He wondered if the beast sought him or
was following some other spoor. He could not be
delayed now by any hungry beast of prey, for what
might that very instant be befalling Tara of Helium
he could not guess; and so he hastened his steps.
But closer and closer came the horrid screams of
the great carnivore, and now he heard the swift
fall of padded feet upon the hillside behind him.
He glanced back just in time to see the beast break
into a rapid charge. His hand leaped to the hilt of
his long-sword, but he did not draw, for in the
same instant he saw the futility of armed resistance,
since behind the first banth came a herd of at least
a dozen others. There was but a single alternative
to a futile stand and that he grasped in the instant

A REPELLENT SIGHT 123

that he saw the overwhelming numbers of his
antagonists.

Springing lightly from the ground he swarmed
up the rope toward the bow of the flier. His weight
drew the craft slightly lower and at the very in-
stant that the man drew himself to the deck at
the bow of the vessel, the leading banth sprang
for the stern. Gahan leaped to his feet and rushed
toward the great beast in the hope of dislodging
it before it had succeeded in clambering aboard.
At the same instant he saw that others of the banths
were racing toward them with the quite evident
intention of following their leader to the ship^s deck.
Should they reach it in any numbers he would be
lost. There was but a single hope. Leaping for
the altitude control Gahan pulled it wide. Simul-
taneously three banths leaped for the deck. The
craft rose swiftly. Gahan felt the impact of a body
against the keel, followed by the soft thuds of the
great bodies as they struck the ground beneath. His
act had not been an instant too soon. And now the
leader had gained the deck and stood at the stem
with glaring eyes and snarling jaws. Gahan drew
his sword. The beast, possibly disconcerted by the
novelty of its position, did not charge. Instead it
crept slowly toward its intended prey. The craft
was rising and Gahan placed a foot upon the con-
trol and stopped the ascent. He did not wish to
chance rising to some higher air current that would

124 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

bear him away. Already the craft was moving
slowly toward the tower, carried thither by the im-
petus of the banth’s heavy body leaping upon it from
astern.

The man watched the slow approach of the mon-
ster, the slavering jowls, the malignant expression
of the devilish face. The creature, finding the deck
stable, appeared to be gaining confidence, and then
the man leaped suddenly to one side of the deck
and the tiny flier heeled as suddenly in response.
The banth slipped and clutched frantically at the
deck. Gahan leaped in with his naked sword; the
great beast caught itself and reared upon its hind
legs to reach forth and seize this presumptuous
mortal that dared question its right to the flesh it
craved: and then the man sprang to the opposite,
side of the deck. The banth toppled sideways ar
the same instant that it attempted to spring; a rak-
ing talon passed close to Gahan’s head at the moment
that his sword lunged through the savage heart, and
as the warrior wrenched his blade from the carcass
it slipped silently over the side of the ship.

A glance below showed that the vessel was drift-
ing in the direction of the tower to which Gahan
had seen the prisoner led. In another moment or
two it would be directly over it. The man sprang
to the control and let the craft drop quickly toward
the ground where followed the banths, still hot for
their prey. To land outside the enclosure spelled

A REPELLENT SIGHT

125

certain death, while inside he could see many forms
huddled upon the ground as in sleep. The ship
floated now but a few feet above the wall of the
enclosure. There was nothing for it but to risk
all on a bold bid for fortune, or drift helplessly
past without hope of returning through the banth-
infested valley, from many points of which he
could now hear the roars and growls of these fierce
Barsoomian lions.

Slipping over the side Gahan descended by the
trailing anchor-rope until his feet touched the top
of the wall, where he had no difficulty in arresting
the slow drifting of the ship. Then he drew up
the anchor and lowered it inside the enclosure. Still
there was no movement upon the part of the sleep-
ers beneath — they lay as dead men. Dull lights
shone from openings in the tower; but there waa
no sign of guard or waking inmate. Clinging to
the rope Gahan lowered himself within the enclosure,
where he had his first close view of the creatures
lying there in what he had thought sleep. With
a half smothered exclamation of horror the man
drew back from the headless bodies of the rykors.
At first he thought them the corpses of decapitated
humans like himself, which was quite bad enough;
but when he saw them move and realized that they
were endowed with life, his horror and disgust be-
came even greater.

Here then was the explanation of the thing he

126 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

had witnessed that afternoon, when Tara of Helium
had struck the head from her captor and Gahan
had seen the head crawl back to its body. And to
think that the pearl of Helium was in the power
of such hideous things as these. Again the man
shuddered, but he hastened to make fast the flier,
clamber again to its deck and lower it to the floor
of the enclosure. Then he strode toward a door
in the base of the tower, stepping lightly over the
recumbent forms of the unconscious rykors, and
crossing the threshold disappeared within.

CHAPTER VIII

close: work

GHEK, in his happier days third foreman of
the fields of Luud, sat nursing his anger and
his humiliation. Recently something had awak-
ened within him the existence of which he had
never before even dreamed. Had the influence of
the strange captive woman aught to do with this
unrest and dissatisfaction? He did not know. He
missed the soothing influence of the noise she called
singing. Could it be that there were other things
more desirable than cold logic and undefiled brain
power? Was well balanced imperfection more to
be sought after then, than the high development
of a single characteristic? He thought of the great,
ultimate brain toward which all kaldanes were
striving. It would be deaf, and dumb, and blind.
A thousand beautiful strangers might sing and dance
ibout it, but it could derive no pleasure from the
singing or the dancing since it would possess no per-
ceptive faculties. Already had the kaldanes shut
themselves off from most of the gratifications of
the senses. Ghek wondered if much was to be
gained by denying themselves still further, and with
the thought came a question as to the whole fabric
127

128 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

of their theory. After all perhaps the girl was right ;
what purpose could a great brain serve sealed in the
bowels of the earth?

And he, Ghek, was to die for this theory. Luud
had decreed it. The injustice of it overwhelmed
him with rage. But he was helpless. There was
no escape. Beyond the enclosure the banths awaited
him ; within, his own kind, equally as merciless and
ferocious. Among them there was no such thing
as love, or loyalty, or friendship — they were just
brains. He might kill Luud; but what would that
profit him? Another king would be loosed from
his sealed chamber and Ghek would be killed. He
did not know it but he would not even have the
poor satisfaction of satisfied revenge, since he was
not capable of feeling so abstruse a sentiment.

Ghek, mounted upon his rykor, . paced the floor
of the tower chamber in which he had been ordered
to remain. Ordinarily he would have accepted the
sentence of Luud with perfect equanimity, since it
was but the logical result of reason; but now it
seemed different. The stranger woman had be-
witched him. Life appeared a pleasant thing —
there were great possibilities in it. The dream of
the ultimate brain had receded into a tenuous haze
far in the background of his thoughts.

At that moment there appeared in the doorway
of the chamber a red warrior with naked sword.
He was a male counterpart of the prisoner whose

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129

sweet voice had undermined the cold, calculating
reason of the kaldane.

“ Silence I ” admonished the newcomer, his straight
brows gathered in an ominous frown and the point
of his long-sword playing menacingly before the
eyes of the kaldane. “I seek the woman, Tara of
Helium. Where is she? If you value your life
speak quickly and speak the truth.”

If he valued his life! It was a truth that Ghek
had but just learned. He thought quickly. After
all, a great brain is not without its uses. Perhaps
here lay escape from the sentence of Luud.

You are of her kind?” he asked. ‘‘You come
to rescue her?”

“Yes.”

“Listen, then. I have befriended her, and be-
cause of this I am to die. If I help you to lib-
erate her, will you take me with you?”

Gahan of Gathol eyed the weird creature from
crown to foot — the perfect body, the grotesque
head, the expressionless face. Among such as these
had the beautiful daughter of Helium been held
captive for days and weeks.

“If she lives and is unharmed,” he said, “I will
take you with us.”

“ When they took her from me she was alive and
unharmed,” replied Ghek. “ I cannot say what has
befallen her since. Luud sent for her.”

“ Who is Luud ? Where is he ? Lead me to him.*^

130 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Gahan spoke quickly in tones vibrant with authority.

Come, then,’' said Ghek, leading the way from
the apartment and down a stairway toward the
underground burrows of the kaldanes. *‘Luud is
my king. I will take you to his chambers.”

‘‘Hasten!” urged Gahan.

“Sheathe your sword,” warned Ghek, “so that
should we pass others of my kind I may say to
them that you are a new prisoner with some likeli-
hood of winning their belief.”

Gahan did as he was bid, but warning the kaldane
that his hand was ever ready at his dagger’s hilt.

“ You need have no fear of treachery,” said Ghek.
“ My only hope of life lies in you.”

“And if you fail me,” Gahan admonished him,
“I can promise you as sure a death as even your
king might guarantee you.”

Ghek made no reply, but moved rapidly through
the winding subterranean corridors until Gahan
began to realize how truly was he in the hands of
this strange monster. If the fellow should prove
false it would profit Gahan nothing to slay him,
since without his guidance the red man might never
hope to retrace his way to the tower and freedom.

Twice they met and were accosted by other
kaldanes ; but in both instances Ghek’s simple state-
ment that he was taking a new prisoner to Luud
appeared to allay all suspicion, and then at last they
came to the ante-chamber of the king.

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131

Here, now, red man, thou must fight, if ever,’’
whispered Ghek. ‘‘Enter there!” and he pointed
to a doorway before them.

“And you?” asked Gahan, still fearful of
treachery.

“ My rykor is powerful,” replied the kaldane. “ I
shall accompany you and fight at your side. As
well die thus as in torture later at the will of Luud.
Come I ”

But Gahan had already crossed the room and
entered the chamber beyond. Upon the opposite
side of the room was a circular opening guarded by
two warriors. Beyond this opening he could see
two figures struggling upon the floor, and the fleet-
ing glimpse he had of one of the faces suddenly
endowed him with the strength of ten warriors and
the ferocity of a wounded banth. It was Tara of
Helium, fighting for her honor or her life.

The warriors, startled by the unexpected appear-
ance of a red man, stood for a moment in dumb
amazement, and in that moment Gahan of Gathol
was upon them, and one was down, a sword-thrust
through its heart.

“Strike at the heads,” whispered the voice of
Ghek in Gahan’s ear. The latter saw the head of
the fallen warrior crawl quickly within the aperture
leading to the chamber where he had seen Tara
of Helium in the clutches of a headless body. Then
the sword of Ghek struck the kaldane of the remain-

132 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

ing warrior from its rykor and Gahan ran his sword
through the repulsive head.

Instantly the red warrior leaped for the aperture,
while close behind him came Ghek.

‘‘Look not upon the eyes of Luud/’ warned the
kaldane, “or you are lost.’'

Within the chamber Gahan saw Tara of Helium
in the clutches of a mighty body, while close to the
wall upon the opposite side of the apartment
crouched the hideous, spider-like Luud. Instantly
the king realized the menace to himself and sought
to fasten his eyes upon the eyes of Gahan, and in
doing so he was forced to relax his concentration
upon the rykor in whose embraces Tara struggled,
so that almost immediately the girl found herself
able to tear away from the awful, headless thing.

As she rose quickly to her feet she saw for the
first time the cause of the interruption of Luud’s
plans. A red warrior! Her heart leaped in rejoic-
ing and thanksgiving. What miracle of fate had
sent him to her ? She did not recognize him, though,
this travel-worn warrior in the plain harness which
showed no single jewel. How could she have
guessed him the same as the scintillant creature of
platinum and diamonds that she had seen for a brief
hour under such different circumstances at the court
of her august sire?

Luud saw Ghek following the strange warrior
into the chamber. “ Strike him down, Ghek ! ” com-

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^33

manded the king’. Strike down the stranger and
your lifa shall be yours.''

Gahan glanced at the hideous face of the king.
‘‘Seek not his eyes," screamed Tara in warn-
ing; but it was too late. Already the horrid
hypnotic gaze of the king kaldane had seized upon
the eyes of Gahan. The red warrior hesitated in
his stride. His sword point drooped slowly toward
the floor. Tara glanced toward Ghek. She saw
the creature glaring with his expressionless eyes
upon the broad back of the stranger. She saw the
hand of the creature's rykor creeping stealthily^
toward the hilt of its dagger.

And then Tara of Helium raised her eyes aloft
and poured forth the notes of Mars’ most beautiful
melody, The Song of Love,

Ghek drew his dagger from its sheath. His
eyes turned toward the singing girl. Luud's glance
wavered from the eyes of the man to the face of
Tara, and the instant that the latter's song dis-
tracted his attention from his victim, Gahan of
Gathol shook himself and as with a supreme effort
of will forced his eyes to the wall above Luud's
hideous head. Ghek raised his dagger above his
right shoulder, took a single quick step forward,
and struck. The girl's song ended in a stifled
scream as she leaped forward with the evident
intention of frustrating the kaldane's purpose; but
she was too late, and well it was, for an instant

134

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

later she realized the purpose of Ghek’s act as she
saw the dagger fly from his hand, pass Gahan’s
shoulder, and sink full to the guard in the soft
face of Luud.

‘‘Come!” cried the assassin, “we have no time
to lose,” and started for the aperture through which
they had entered the chamber; but in his stride he
paused as his glance was arrested by the form of
the mighty rykor lying prone upon the floor — a
king’s rykor; the most beautiful, the most power-
ful, that the breeders of Bantoom could produce.
Ghek realized that in his escape he could take with
him but a single rykor, and there was none in Ban-
toom that could give him better service than this
giant lying here. Quickly he transferred himself
to the shoulders of the great, inert hulk. Instantly
the latter was transformed to a sentient creature,
filled with pulsing life and alert energy.

“Now,” said the kaldane, “we are ready. Let
whoso would revert to nothingness impede me.”
Even as he spoke he stooped and crawled into the
chamber beyond, while Gahan, taking Tara by the
arm, motioned her to follow. The girl looked him
full in the eyes for the first time. “The Gods of
my people have been kind,” she said; “you came
just in time. To the thanks of Tara of Helium
shall be added those of The Warlord of Barsoom
and his people. Thy reward shall surpass thy
greatest desires.”

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Gahan of Gathol saw that she did not recognize
him, and quickly he checked the warm greeting
that had been upon his lips.

‘‘Be thou Tara of Helium or another,'' he re-
plied, “is immaterial, to serve thus a red woman
of Barsoom is in itself sufficient reward."

As they spoke the girl was making her way
through the aperture after Ghek, and presently all
three had quitted the apartments of Luud and were
moving rapidly along the winding corridors toward
the tower. Ghek repeatedly urged them to greater
speed, but the red men of Barsoom were never keen
for retreat, and so the two that followed him moved
all too slowly for the kaldane.

“ There are none to impede our progress," urged
Gahan, “so why tax the strength of the Princess
by needless haste?"

“ I fear not so much opposition ahead, for there
are none there who know the thing that has been
done in Luud's chambers this night ; but the kaldane
of one of the warriors who stood guard before
Luud's apartment escaped, and you may count it
a truth that he lost no time in seeking aid. That
it did not come before we left is due solely to the
rapidity with which events transpired in the king's*

1 I have used the word king in describing the rulers or chiefs of the
Bantoomian swarms, since the word itself is unpronounceable in English,
nor does jed or jeddak of the red Martian tongue have quite the same
meaning as the Bantoomian word, which has practically the same signifi-
cance as the English word queen as applied to the leader of a swarm
of bees. — ^J. C.

.36 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

room. Long before we reach the tower they will
be upon us from behind, and that they will come in
numbers far superior to ours and with great and
powerful rykors I well know.’^

Nor was Ghek’s prophecy long in fulfilment.
Presently the sounds of pursuit became audible in
the distant clanking of accouterments and the
whistling call to arms of the kaldanes.

“The tower is but a short distance now,” cried
Ghek. “ Make haste while yet you may, and if we
can barricade it until the sun rises we may yet
escape.”

“We shall need no barricades for we shall not
linger in the tower,” replied Gahan, moving more
rapidly as he realized from the volume of sound be-
hind them the great number of their pursuers.

“But we may not go further than the tower
tonight,” insisted Ghek. “ Beyond the tower await
the banths and certain death.”

Gahan smiled. “Fear not the banths,” he as-
sured them. “Can we but reach the enclosure a
little ahead of our pursuers we have naught to fear
from any evil power within this accursed valley.”

Ghek made no reply, nor did his expressionless
face denote either belief or skepticism. The girl
looked into the face of the man questioningly. She
did not understand.

“Your flier,” he said. “It is moored before the
tower.”

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137

Her face lighted with pleasure and relief. ‘‘ You
found it ! ’’ she exclaimed. “ What fortune !

“It was fortune indeed/’ he replied. “Since it
not only told that you were a prisoner here; but it
saved me from the banths as I was crossing the
valley from the hills to this tower into which I saw
them take you this afternoon after your brave at-
tempt at escape.”

“How did you know it was I?” she asked,
her puzzled brows scanning his face as though she
sought to recall from past memories some scene in
which he figured.

“Who is there but knows of the loss of the
Princess Tara of Helium ? ” he replied. “And when
I saw the device upon your flier I knew at once,
though I had not known when I saw you among
them in the fields a short time earlier. Too great
was the distance for me to make certain whether
their captive was man. or woman. Had chance not
divulged the hiding place of your flier I had gone
my way, Tara of Helium. I shudder to think how
close was the chance at that. But for the momen-
tary shining of the sun upon the emblazoned device
on the prow of your craft, I had passed on un-
knowing.”

The girl shuddered. “The Gods sent you,” she
whispered reverently.

“The Gods sent me, Tara of Helium,” he replied.

“ But I do not recognize you,” she said. “ I have

138 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

tried to recall you, but I have failed. Your name;
what may it be ? ''

It is not strange that so great a princess should
not recall the face of every roving panthan of Bar-
soom,” he replied with a smile.

‘‘ But your name ? insisted the girl.

‘‘Call me Turari/' replied the man, for it had
come to him that if Tara of Helium recognized him
as the man whose impetuous avowal of love had
angered her that day in the gardens of The War-
lord, her situation might be rendered infinitely less
bearable than were she to believe him a total
stranger. Then, too, as a simple panthan^ he might
win a greater degree of her confidence by his loyalty
and faithfulness and a place in her esteem that
seemed to have been closed to the resplendent Jed of
Gathol.

They had reached the tower now, and as they
entered it from the subterranean corridor a back-
ward glance revealed the van of their pur-
suers— hideous kaldanes mounted upon swift and
powerful rykors. As rapidly as might be the three
ascended the stairways leading to the ground level,
but after them, even more rapidly, came the minions
of Luud. Ghek led the way, grasping one of Tara's
hands the more easily to guide and assist her, while
Gahan of Gathol followed a few paces in their rear,
his bared sword ready for the assault that all real-

* Soldier of Fortune; free-lance warrior.

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139

ized must come upon them now before ever they
reached the enclosure and the flier.

“ Let Ghek drop behind to your side,” said Tara,
‘‘ and fight with you.”

“There is but room for a single blade in these
narrow corridors,” replied the Gatholian. “ Hasten
on with Ghek and win to the deck of the flier. Have
your hand upon the control, and if I come far
enough ahead of these to reach the dangling cable
you can rise at my word and I can clamber to the
deck at my leisure; but if one of them emerges first
into the enclosure you will know that I shall never
come, and you will rise quickly and trust to the Gods
of our ancestors to give you a fair breeze in the
direction of a more hospitable people.”

Tara of Helium shook her head. “We will not
desert you, panthan,” she said.

Gahan, ignoring her reply, spoke above her ,head
to Ghek. “ Take her to the craft moored within the
enclosure,” he commanded. “It is our only hope.
Alone, I may win to its deck; but have I to wait
upon you two at the last moment the chances are
that none of us will escape. Do as I bid.” His
tone was haughty and arrogant — the tone of a man
who has commanded other men from birth, and
whose will has been law. Tara of Helium was both
Sangered and vexed. She was not accustomed to
being either commanded or ignored; but with all
her royal pride she was no fool, and she knew the

140 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

man was right ; that he was risking his life to save
hers, so she hastened on with Ghek as she was bid,
and after the first flush of anger she smiled, for
the realization came to her that this fellow was but
a rough untutored warrior, skilled not in the finer
usages of cultured courts. His heart was right,
though; a brave and loyal heart, and gladly she
forgave him the offense of his tone and manner.
But what a tone! Recollection of it gave her
sudden pause. Panthans were rough and ready
men. Often they rose to positions of high command,
so it was not the note of authority in the fellow’s
voice that seemed remarkable ; but something
else — a quality that was indefinable, yet as distinct
as it was familiar. She had heard it before when
the voice of her great-grandsire, Tardos Mors,
Jeddak of Helium, had risen in command; and in
the voice of her grandfather. Mors Kajak, the jed;
and in the ringing tones of her illustrious sire, John
Carter, Warlord of Barsoom, when he addressed
his warriors.

But now she had no time to speculate upon so
trivial a thing, for behind her came the sudden
iclash of arms and she knew that Turan, the panthan,
had crossed swords with the first of their pursuers.
As she glanced back he was still visible beyond a
turn in the stairway, so that she could see the quick
sw’ordplay that ensued. Daughter of a world’s
greatest swordsman, she knew well the finest points

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141

of the art. She saw the clumsy attack of the kal-
dane and the quick, sure return of the panthan. As
she looked down from above upon his almost naked
body, trapped only in the simplest of unadorned
harness, and saw the play of the lithe muscles be-
neath the red-bronze skin, and witnessed the quick
and delicate play of his sword point, to her sense
of obligation was added a spontaneous admission
of admiration that was but the natural tribute of a
woman to skill and bravery and, perchance, some
trifle to manly symmetry and strength.

Three times the panthan’s blade changed its posi-
tion— once to fend a savage cut; once to feint; and
once to thrust. And as he withdrew it from the
last position the kaldane rolled lifeless from its
stumbling rykor and Turan sprang quickly down the
steps to engage the next behind, and then Ghek had
drawn Tara upward and a turn in the stairway shut
the battling panthan from her view; but still she
heard the ring of steel on steel, the clank of accout-
erments and the shrill whistling of the kaldanes.
Her heart moved her to turn back to the side of her
brave defender; but her judgment told her that she
could serve him best by being ready at the control
of the flier at the moment he reached the enclosure.

CHAPTER IX

ADRIFT OVER STRANGE REGIONS

PRESENTLY Ghek pushed aside a door that
opened from the stairway, and before them
Tara saw the moonlight flooding the walled court
where the headless rykors lay beside their feeding-
troughs. She saw the perfect bodies, muscled as
the best of her father’s fighting men, and the females
whose figures would have been the envy of many
of Helium’s most beautiful women. Ah, if she
could but endow these with the power to act ! Then,
indeed might the safety of the panthan be assured ;
but they were only poor lumps of clay, nor had
she the power to quicken them to life. Ever must
they lie thus until dominated by the cold, heartless
brain of the kaldane. The girl sighed in pity even
as she shuddered in disgust as she picked her way
over and among the sprawled creatures toward the
flier.

Quickly she and Ghek mounted to the deck after
the latter had cast off the moorings. Tara tested
the control, raising and lowering the ship a few feet
within the walled space. It responded perfectly.
Then she lowered it to the ground again and waited.
From the open doorway came the sovmds of conflict,
142

ADRIFT OVER STRANGE REGIONS 143-

now nearing them, now receding. The girl, having
witnessed her champion’s skill, had little fear of the
outcome. Only a single antagonist could face him
at a time upon the narrow stairway, he had the
advantage of position and of the defensive, and he
was a master of the sword while they were clumsy
bunglers by comparison. Their sole advantage was
in their numbers, unless they might find a way to
come upon him from behind.

She paled at the thought. Could she have seen
him she might have been further perturbed, for he
took no advantage of many opportunities to win
nearer the enclosure. He fought coolly, but with
a savage persistence that bore little semblance to
purely defensive action. Often he clambered over
the body of a fallen foe to leap against the next
behind, and once there lay five dead kaldanes behind
him, so far had he pushed back his antagonists.
They did not know it, these kaldanes that he fought,
nor did the girl awaiting him upon the flier, but
Gahan of Gathol was engaged in a more alluring
sport than winning to freedom, for he was avenging
the indignities that had been put upon the woman
le loved; but presently he realized that he might
be jeopardizing her safety uselessly, and so he struck
down another before him and turning leaped quickly
up the stairway, while the leading kaldanes slipped
upon the brain-covered floor and stumbled in pursuit.

Gahan reached the enclosure twenty paces ahead

144

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

of them and raced toward the flier. ^‘Rise!^^ he
shouted to the girl. ‘‘ I will ascend the cable.'’

Slowly the small craft rose from the ground as
Gahan leaped the inert bodies of the r3dcors lying in
his path. The first of the pursuers sprang from the
tower just as Gahan seized the trailing rope.

“ Faster ! " he shouted to the girl above, ‘‘ or they
will drag us down ! ” But the ship seemed scarcely
to move, though in reality she was rising as rapidly
as might have been expected of a one-man flier
carrying a load of three. Gahan swung free above
the top of the wall, but the end of the rope still
dragged the ground as the kaldanes reached it.
They were pouring in a steady stream from the
tower into the enclosure. The leader seized the
rope.

“ Quick ! " he cried. “ Lay hold and we will drag
them down."

It needed but the weight of a few to accomplish
his design. The ship was stopped in its flight and
then, to the horror of the girl, she felt it being
dragged steadily downward. Gahan, too, realized
the danger and the necessity for instant action.
Clinging to the rope with his left hand, he had
wound a leg about it, leaving his right hand free
for his long-sword which he had not sheathed. A
downward cut clove the soft head of a kaldane, and
another severed the taut rope beneath the panthan’s
feet. The girl heard a sudden renewal of the shrill

ADRIFT OVER STRANGE REGIONS 145

whistling of her foes, and at the same time she
realized that the craft was rising again. Slowly it
drifted upward, out of reach of the enemy, and a
moment later she saw the figure of Turaii clamber
over the side. For the first time in many weeks
her heart was filled with the joy of thanksgiving;
but her first thought was of another.

You are not wounded ? ’’ she asked.

"‘No, Tara of Helium,’’ he replied. “They were
scarce worth the effort of my blade, and never were
they a menace to me because of their swords.”

“ They should have slain you easily,” said Ghek.
“So great and highly developed is the power of
reason among us that they should have known be-
fore you struck just where, logically, you must seek
to strike, and so they should have been able to parry
your every thrust and easily find an opening to your
heart.”

“ But they did not, Ghek,” Gahan reminded him.
“ Their theory of development is wrong, for it does
not tend toward a perfectly balanced whole. You
have developed the brain and neglected the body and
you can never do with the hands of another what
you can do with your own hands. Mine are trained
to the sword — every muscle responds instantly and
accurately, and almost mechanically, to the need of
the instant. I am scarcely objectively aware that
I think when I fight, so quickly does my point taks
advantage of every opening, or spring to my de-

146 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

fense if I am threatened that it is almost as though
the cold steel had eyes and brains. You, with your
kaldane brain and your rykor body, never could
hope to achieve in the same degree of perfection
those things that I can achieve. Development of
the brain should not be the sum total of human
endeavor. The richest and happiest peoples will be
those who attain closest to well-balanced perfection
of both mind and body, and even these must always
be short of perfection. In absolute and general per-
fection lies stifling monotony and death. Nature
must have contrasts ; she must have shadows as well
as high lights; sorrow with happiness; both wrong
and right; and sin as well as virtue.’'

‘‘Always have I been taught differently,” replied
Ghek; “but since I have known this woman and
you, of another race, I have come to believe that
there may be other standards fully as high and de-
sirable as those of the kaldanes. At least I have had
a glimpse of the thing you call happiness and I real-
ize that it may be good even though I have no means
of expressing it. I cannot laugh nor smile, and yet
within me is a sense of contentment when this
woman sings — a sense that seems to open before
me wondrous vistas of beauty and unguessed
pleasure that far transcend the cold joys of a per-
fectly functioning brain. I would that I had been
born of thy race.”

Caught by a gentle current of air the flier was

'ADRIFT OVER STRANGE REGIONS 147

drifting slowly toward the northeast across the
valley of Bantoom. Below them lay the cultivated
fields, and one after another they passed over the
strange towers of Moak and Nolach and the other
, kings of the swarms that inhabited this weird and
terrible land. Within each enclosure surrounding
the towers grovelled the rykors, repellent, headless
things, beautiful yet hideous.

lesson, those,” remarked Gahan, indicating
the rykors in an enclosure above which they were
drifting at the time, ‘‘to that fortunately small mi-
nority of our race which worships the flesh and
makes a god of appetite. You know them, Tara
of Helium; they can tell you exactly what they
had at the midday meal two weeks ago, and how the
loin of the thoat should be prepared, and what
drink should be served with the rump of the
zitidar.”

Tara of Helium laughed. “ But not one of them
could tell you the name of the man whose painting
took the Jeddak’s Award in The Temple of Beauty
this year,” she said. “Like the rykors, their de-
velopment has not been balanced.”

“Fortunate indeed are those in which there is
combined a little good and a little bad, a little
knowledge of many things outside their own call-
ings, a capacity for love and a capacity for hate,
for such as these can look with tolerance upon
all, unbiased by the egotism of him whose head is

148 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

so heavy on one side that all his brains run to that
point.”

As Gahan ceased speaking Ghek made a little
noise in his throat as one does who would attract
attention. ‘‘You speak as one who has thought
much upon many subjects. Is it, then, possible that
you of the red race have pleasure in thought? Do
you know aught of the joys of introspection? Do
reason and logic form any part of your lives ? ”

“Most assuredly,” replied Gahan, “but not to
the extent of occupying all our time — at least not
objectively. You, Ghek, are an example of the
egotism of which I spoke. Because you and your
kind devote your lives to the worship of mind, you
believe that no other created beings think. And
possibly we do not in the sense that you do, who
think only of yourselves and your great brains. We
think of many things that concern the welfare of a
world. Had it not been for the red men of Barsoom
even the kaldanes had perished from the planet, for
while you may live without air the things upon
which you depend for existence cannot, and there
had been no air in sufficient quantities upon Barsoom
these many ages had not a red man planned and
built the great atmosphere plant which gave new
life to a dying world.

“What have all the brains of all the kaldanes
that have ever lived done to compare with that
single idea of a single red man ? ”

^ADRIFT OVER STRANGE REGIONS 149

Ghek was stumped. Being a kaldane he knew
that brains spelled the sum total of universal
achievement, but it had never occurred to him that
they should be put to use in practical and profitable
ways. He turned away and looked down upon the
valley of his ancestors across which he was slowly
drifting, into what unknown world? He should
be a veritable god among the underlings, he knew;
but somehow a doubt assailed him. It was evident
that these two from that other world were ready
to question his preeminence. Even through his
great egotism was filtering a suspicion that they
patronized him ; perhaps even pitied him. Then he
began to wonder what was to become of him. No
longer would he have many rykors to do his bidding.
Only this single one and when it died there could
not be another. When it tired, Ghek must lie almost
helpless while it rested. He wished that he had
never seen this red woman. She had brought him
only discontent and dishonor and now exile. Pres-
ently Tara of Helium commenced to hum a tune and
Ghek, the kaldane, was content.

Gently they drifted beneath the hurtling moons
above the mad shadows of a Martian night. The
roaring of the banths came in diminishing volume
to their ears as their craft passed on beyond the
boundaries of Bantoom, leaving behind the terrors
of that unhappy land. But to what were they being
borne ? The girl looked at the man sitting cross-legged

150 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

upon the deck of the tiny flier, gazing off into the
night ahead, apparently absorbed in thought.

“Where are we?'’ she asked. “Toward what
are we drifting?”

Turan shrugged his broad shoulders. “ The stars
tell me that we are drifting toward the northeast,”
he replied, “but where we are, or what lies in our
path I cannot even guess. A week since I could
have sworn that I knew what lay behind each suc-
ceeding ridge that I approached; but now I admit
in all humility that I have no conception of what
lies a mile in any direction. Tara of Helium, I am
lost, and that is all that I can tell you.”

He was smiling and the girl smiled back at him.
There was a slightly puzzled expression on her
face — there was something tantalizingly familiar
about that smile of his. She had met many a
panthan — they came and went, following the fight-
ing of a world — but she could not place this one.

“ From what country are you, Turan?” she asked
suddenly.

“ Know you not, Tara of Helium,” he countered,
“that a panthan has no country? Today he fights
beneath the banner of one master, tomorrow be-
neath that of another.”

“ But you must own allegiance to some country
when you are not fighting,” she insisted. “What
banner, then, owns you now ? ”

He rose and stood before her, then, bowing low.

ADRIFT OVER STRANGE REGIONS 151

‘‘And I am acceptable/’ he said, “I serve beneath
the banner of the daughter of The Warlord
now — and forever.”

She reached forth and touched his arm with ai
slim brown hand. “Your services are accepted,”
she said; “and if ever we reach Helium I promise
that your reward shall be all that your heart could
desire.”

“I shall serve faithfully, hoping for that re-
ward,” he said; but Tara of Helium did not guess
what was in his mind, thinking rather that he was
mercenary. For how could the proud daughter of
The Warlord guess that a simple panthan aspired
to her hand and heart?

The dawn found them moving rapidly over an
unfamiliar landscape. The wind had increased
during the night and had borne them far from Ban-
toom. The country below them was rough and
inhospitable. No water was visible and the surface
of the ground was cut by deep gorges, while nowhere
was any but the most meager vegetation discernible.
They saw no life of any nature, nor was there any
indication that the country could support life. For
two days they drifted over this horrid wasteland.
They were without food or water and suffered ac-
cordingly. Ghek had temporarily abandoned his
rykor after enlisting Turan’s assistance in lashing
it safely to the deck. The less he used it the less
would its vitality be spent. Already it was showing

152 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

the effects of privation. Ghek crawled about the
vessel like a great spider — over the side, down be-
neath the keel, and up over the opposite rail. He
seemed equally at home one place as another. For
his companions, however, the quarters were
cramped, for the deck of a one-man flier is not in-
tended for three.

Turan sought always ahead for signs of water.
Water they must have, or that water-giving plant
which makes life possible upon many of the seem-
ingly arid areas of Mars ; but there was neither the
one nor the other for these two days and now the
third night was upon them. The girl did not com-
plain, but Turan knew that she must be suffering
and his heart was heavy within him. Ghek suffered
least of all, and he explained to them that his kind
could exist for long periods without food or water.
Turan almost cursed him as he saw the form of
Tara of Helium slowly wasting away before his
eyes, while the hideous kaldane seemed as full of
vitality as ever.

There are circumstances,” remarked Ghek,
‘‘ under which a gross and material body is less de-
sirable than a highly developed brain.”

Turan looked at him, but said nothing. Tara
of Helium smiled faintly. ‘‘One cannot blame
him,” she said, “were we not a bit boastful in the
pride of our superiority ? When our stomachs were
filled,” she added.

ADRIFT OVER STRANGE REGIONS 153

Perhaps there is something to be said for their
system/’ Turan admitted. “If we could but lay
aside our stomachs when they cried for food and
water I have no doubt but that we should do so.”

“I should never miss mine now,” assented Tara;
“ It is mighty poor company.”

A new day had dawned, revealing a less desolate
country and renewing again the hope that had been
low within them. Suddenly Turan leaned forward,
pointing ahead.

“Look, Tara of Helium!” he cried. “A city?
As I am Ga — as I am Turan the panthan, a city.”

Far in the distance the domes and walls and
slender towers of a city shone in the rising sun.
Quickly the man seized the control and the ship
dropped rapidly behind a low range of intervening
hills, for well Turan knew that they must not be
seen until they could discover whether friend or
foe inhabited the strange city. Chances were th?^
they were far from the abode of friends and so
must the panthan move with the utmost caution;
but there was a city and where a city was, was
water, even though it were a deserted city, and food
if it were inhabited.

To the red man food and water, even in the citadel
of an enemy, meant food and drink for Tara of
Helium. He would accept it from friends or he
would take it from enemies. Just so long as it
was there he would have it — and there was shown

15^ THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

thf egotism of the fighting man, though Turan did
nc& iee it, nor Tara who came from a long line of
fighting men; but Ghek might have smiled had he
known how.

Turan permitted the flier to drift closer behind
the screening hills, and then when he could advance
no farther without fear of discovery, he dropped
the craft gently to ground in a little ravine, and
leaping over the side made her fast to a stout tree.
For several moments they discussed their plans —
whether it would be best to wait where they were
until darkness hid their movements and then ap-
proach the city in search of food and water, or ap-
proach it now, taking advantage of what cover they
could, until they could glean-, something of the
nature of its inhabitants.

It was Turan’s plan which finally prevailed. They
would approach as close as safety dictated in the
“hope of finding water outside the city; food, too,
perhaps. If they did not they could at least recon-
noiter the ground by daylight, and then when night
came Turan could quickly come close to the city
and in comparative safety prosecute his search for
food and drink.

Following the ravine upward they finally topped
the summit of the ridge, from which they had an
excellent view of that part of the city which lay
nearest them, though themselves hidden by the brush
behind which they crouched. Ghek had resumed!

ADRIFT OVER STRANGE REGIONS 155

his rykor, which had suffered less than either Tara
or Turan through their enforced fast.

The first glance at the city, now much closer than
when they had first discovered it, revealed the fact
that it was inhabited. Banners and pennons broke
from many a staff. People were moving about the
gate before them. The high white walls were paced
by sentinels at far intervals. Upon the roofs of
higher buildings the women could be seen airing the
sleeping silks and furs. Turan watched it all in
silence for some time.

‘‘ I do not know them,” he said at last. I can-
not guess what city this may be. But it is an ancient
city. Its people have no fliers and no firearms. It
must be old indeed.”

How do you know they have not these things ? ”
asked the girl.

‘‘There are no landing-stages upon the roofs —
not one that can be seen from here ; while were we
looking similarly at Helium we would see hundreds.
And they have no firearms because their defenses
are all built to withstand the attack of spear and
arrow, with spear and arrow. They are an ancient
people.”

“If they are ancient perhaps they are friendly,”
suggested the girl. “ Did we not learn as children in
the history of our planet that it was once peopled
by a friendly, peace-loving race?”

“ But I fear they are not as ancient as that,*' re-

156 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

plied Turan, laughing. ‘‘It has been long ages
since the men of Barsoom loved peace.’'

“ My father loves peace,” returned the girl.

“And yet he is always at war,” said the man.

She laughed. “But he says he likes peace.”

“We all like peace,” he rejoined; “peace with
honor ; but our neighbors will not let us have it, and
so we must fight.”

“And to fight well men must like to fight,” she
added.

“And to like to fight they must know how to
fight,” he said, “ for no man likes to do the thing
that he does not know how to do well.”

“ Or that some other man can do better than he.”

“And so always there will be wars and men will
fight,” he concluded, “ for always the men with hot
blood in their veins will practice the art of war.”

“We have settled a great question,” said the girl,
smiling; “ but our stomachs are still empty.”

“Your panthan is neglecting his duty,” replied
Turan; “and how can he with the great reward
always before his eyes ! ”

She did not guess in what literal a sense he spoke.

“I go forthwith,” he continued, “to wrest food
and drink from the ancients.”

“No,” she cried, laying a hand upon his arm,
“not yet. They would slay you or make you pris-
oner. You are a brave panthan and z mighty one.
but you cannot overcome a city singlehanded.”

^ADRIFT OVER STRANGE REGIONS 157

She smiled \\p into his face and her hand still
lay upon his arm. He felt the thrill of hot blood
coursing through his veins. He could have seized
her in his arms and crushed her to him. There was
only Ghek the kaldaiie there, but there was some-
thing stronger within him that restrained his hand.
Who may define it — that inherent chivalry that
renders certain men the natural protectors of
women ?

From their vantage point they saw a body of
armed warriors ride forth from the gate, and wind-
ing along a well-beaten road pass from sight about
the foot of the hill from which they watched. The
men were red, like themselves, and they rode the
small saddle thoats of the red race. Their trappings
were barbaric and magnificent, and in their head-
dress were many feathers as had been the custom
of ancients. They were armed with swords and
long spears and they rode almost naked, their bodies
being painted in ochre and blue and white. There
were, perhaps, a score of them in the party and as
they galloped away on their tireless mounts they
presented a picture at once savage and beautiful.

“ They have the appearance of splendid warriors,”
said Turan. have a great mind to walk boldly
into their city and seek service.”

Tara shook her head. ‘'Wait,” she admonished.
“What would I do without you, and if you were
captured how could you collect your reward?”

158 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

“ I should escape/' he said. ‘‘ At any rate I shall
try it/’ and he started to rise.

‘‘You shall not,” said the girl, her tone all au-
thority.

The man looked at her quickly — questioningly.

“You have entered my service,” she said, a trifle
haughtily. “You have entered my service for hire
and you shall do as I bid you.”

Turan sank down beside her again with a half
smile upon his lips. “It is yours to command.
Princess,” he said.

The day passed, Ghek, tiring of the sunlight,
had deserted his rykor and crawled down a hole
he had discovered close by. Tara and Turan re-
clined beneath the scant shade of a small tree. They
watched the people coming and going through the
gate. The party of horsemen did not return. A
small herd of zitidars was driven into the city during
the day, and once a caravan of broad- wheeled carts
drawn by these huge animals wound out of the
distant horizon and came down to the city. It, too,
passed from their sight within the gateway. Then
(darkness came and Tara of Helium bid her panthan
search for food and drink; but she cautioned him
against attempting to enter the city. Before he left
her he bent and kissed her hand as a warrior may
kiss the hand of his queen.

CHAPTER X

Entrappi:d

URAN the panthan approached the strange

1 city under cover of the darkness. He enter-
tained little hope of finding either food or water
outside the wall, but he would try and then, if he
failed, he would attempt to make his way into the
city, for Tara of Helium must have sustenance and
have it soon. He saw that the walls were poorly
sentineled, but they were sufficiently high to render
an attempt to scale them foredoomed to failure.
Taking advantage of underbrush and trees, Turan
managed to reach the base of the wall without
detection. Silently he moved north past the gate-
way which was closed by a massive gate which
effectively barred even the slightest glimpse within
the city beyond. It was Turan^s hope to find upon
the north side of the city away from the hills a level
plain where grew the crops of the inhabitants, and
here too water from their irrigating system, but
though he traveled far along that seemingly inter-*
minable wall he found no fields nor any water. He
searched also for some means of ingress to the
city, yet here, too, failure was his only reward, and
now as he went keen eyes watched him from above

i6o THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

and a silent stalker kept pace with him for a time
upon the summit of the wall; but presently the
shadower descended to the pavement within and
hurrying swiftly raced ahead of the stranger with-
out.

He came presently to a small gate beside which
was a low building and before the doorway of the
building a warrior standing guard. He spoke a few
quick words to the warrior and then entered the
building only to return almost immediately to the
street, followed by fully forty warriors. Cautiously
opening the gate the fellow peered carefully along
the wall upon the outside in the direction from which
he had come. Evidently satisfied, he issued a few
words of instruction to those behind him, where-
upon half the warriors returned to the interior of
the building, while the other half followed the man
stealthily through the gateway where they crouched
low among the shrubbery in a half circle just north
of the gateway which they had left open. Here
they waited in utter silence, nor had they long to
wait before Turan the panthan came cautiously
along the base of the wall. To the very gate he
came and when he found it and that it was open
he paused for a moment, listening; then he ap-
proached and looked within. Assured that there
was none within sight to apprehend him he stepped
through the gateway into the city.

He found himself in a narrow street that paral-

ENTRAPPED

i6i

leled the wall. Upon the opposite side rose buildings
of an architecture unknown to him, yet strangely
beautiful. While the buildings were packed closely
together there seemed to be no two alike and their
fronts were of all shapes and heights and of many
hues. The skyline was broken by spire and dome
and minaret and tall, slender towers, while the walls
supported many a balcony and in the soft light of
Cluros, the farther moon, now low in the west, he
saw, to his surprise and consternation, the figures
of people upon the balconies. Directly opposite him
were two women and a man. They sat leaning upon
the rail of the balcony looking, apparently, directly
at him ; but if they saw him they gave no sign.

Turan hesitated a moment in the face of almost
certain discovery and then, assured that they must
take him for one of their own people, he moved
boldly into the avenue. Having no idea of the direc-
tion in which he might best hope to find what he
sought, and not wishing to arouse suspicion by
further hesitation, he turned to the left and stepped
briskly along the pavement with the intention of
placing himself as quickly as possible beyond the
observation of those nocturnal watchers. He knew
that the night must be far spent; and so he could
not but wonder why people should sit upon their
balconies when they should have been asleep among
their silks and furs. At first he had thought them
the late guests of some convivial host ; but the win-

i62 the chessmen OF MARS

dows behind them were shrouded in darkness and
utter quiet prevailed, quite upsetting such a theory.
And as he proceeded he passed many another group
sitting silently upon other balconies. They paid no
attention to him, seeming not even to note his pass-
ing. Some leaned with a single elbow upon the
rail, their chins resting in their palms ; others leaned
upon both arms across the balcony, looking down
into the street, while several that he saw held musical
instruments in their hands, but their fingers moved
not upon the strings.

And then Turan came to a point where the avenue
turned to the right, to skirt a building that jutted
from the inside of the city wall, and as he rounded
the corner he came full upon two warriors stand-
ing upon either side of the entrance to a building
upon his right. It was impossible for them not to
be aware of his presence, yet neither moved, nor
gave other evidence that they had seen him. He
stood there waiting, his hand upon the hilt of his
long-sword, but they neither challenged nor halted
him. Could it be that these also thought him one
of their own kind ? Indeed upon no other grounds
could he explain their inaction.

As Turan had passed through the gateway into
the city and taken his unhindered way along the
avenue, twenty warriors had entered the city and
closed the gate behind them, and then one had taken
to the wall and followed along its summit in the

ENTRAPPED

163

rear of Turan, and another had followed him along
the avenue, while a third had crossed the street and
entered one of the buildings upon the opposite side.

The balance of them, with the exception of a
single sentinel beside the gate, had re-entered the
building from which they had been summoned.'
They were well built, strapping, painted fellows,
their naked figures covered now by gorgeous robes
against the chill of night. As they spoke of the
stranger they laughed at the ease with which they
had tricked him, and were still laughing as they
threw themselves upon their sleeping silks and furs
to resume their broken slumber. It was evident that
they constituted a guard detailed for the gate beside
which they slept, and it was equally evident that
the gates were guarded and the city watched much
more carefully than Turan had believed. Chagrined
indeed had been the Jed of Gathol had he dreamed
that he was being so neatly tricked.

As Turan proceeded along the avenue he passed
other sentries beside other doors but now he gave
them small heed, since they neither challenged nor
otherwise outwardly noted his passing; but while at
nearly every turn of the erratic avenue he passed
one or more of these silent sentinels he could not
guess that he had passed one of them many times
and that his every move was watched by silent, clever
stalkers. Scarce had he passed a certain one of
these rigid guardsmen before the fellow awoke to

i64 the chessmen OF MARS

sudden life, bounded across the avenue, entered a
narrow opening in the outer wall where he swiftly
followed a corridor built within the wall itself until
presently he emerged a little distance ahead of
Turan, where he assumed the stiff and silent atti-
tude of a soldier upon guard. Nor did Turan
know that a second followed in the shadows of the
buildings behind him, nor of the third who has-
tened ahead of him upon some urgent mission.

And so the panthan moved through the silent
streets of the strange city in search of food and
drink for the woman he loved. Men and women
looked down upon him from shadowy balconies,
but spoke not; and sentinels saw him pass and did
not challenge. Presently from along the avenue
before him came the familiar sound of clanking
accouterments, the herald of marching warriors,
and almost simultaneously he saw upon his right an
open doorway dimly lighted from within. It was
the only available place where he might seek to
hide from the approaching company, and while he
had passed several sentries unquestioned he could
scarce hope to escape scrutiny and questioning from
a patrol, as he naturally assumed this body of men
to be.

Inside the doorway he discovered a passage turn-
ing abruptly to the right and almost immediately
thereafter to the left. There was none in sight
within and so he stepped cautiously around the

ENTRAPPED

165;

second turn the more effectually to be hidden from
the street. Before him stretched a long corridor,
dimly lighted like the entrance. Waiting there he
heard the party approach the building, he heard
someone at the entrance to his hiding place, and
then he heard the door past which he had come slam
to. He laid his hand upon his sword, expecting
momentarily to hear footsteps approaching along
the corridor; but none came. He approached the
turn and looked around it; the corridor was empty
to the closed door. Whoever had closed it had
remained upon the outside.

Turan waited, listening. He heard no sound.
Then he advanced to the door and placed an ear
against it. All was silence in the street beyond. A
sudden draft must have closed the door, or per-
haps it was the duty of the patrol to see to such
things. It was immaterial. They had evidently
passed on and now he would return to the street
and continue upon his way. Somewhere there
would be a public fountain where he could obtain
water, and the chance of food lay in the strings
of dried vegetables and meat which hung before
the doorways of nearly every Barsoomian home of
the poorer classes that he had ever seen. It was
this district he was seeking, and it was for this
reason his search had led him away from the main
gate of the city which he knew would not be located.
in a poor district.

i66 THE CHESSMEN OF MANS’

He attempted to open the door only to find that
it resisted his every effort — it was locked upon the
outside. Here indeed was a sorry contretemps.
Turan the panthan scratched his head. ‘‘Fortune
frowns upon me,” he murmured; but beyond the
door, Fate, in the form of a painted warrior, stood
smiling. Neatly had he tricked the unwary
stranger. The lighted doorway, the marching
patrol — these had been planned and timed to a
nicety by the third warrior who had sped ahead of
Turan along another avenue, and the stranger had
done precisely what the fellow had thought he
would do — no wonder, then, that he smiled.

This exit barred to him Turan turned back into
the corridor. He followed it cautiously and silently.
Occasionally there was a door on one side or the
other. These he tried only to find each securely
locked. The corridor wound more erratically the
farther he advanced. A locked door barred his way
at its end, but a door upon his right opened and he
stepped into a dimly-lighted chamber, about the
walls of which were three other doors, each of
which he tried in turn. Two were locked ; the other
opened upon a runway leading downward. It was
spiral and he could see no farther than the first turn.
A door in the corridor he had quitted opened after
he had passed, and the third warrior stepped out
and followed after him. A faint smile still lingered
upon the fellow’s grim lips.

ENTRAPPED

167

Turan drew his short-sword and cautiously de-
scended. At the bottom was a short corridor with
a closed door at the end. He approached the single
heavy panel and listened. No sound came to him
from beyond the mysterious portal. Gently he tried
the door, which swung easily toward him at his
touch. Before him was a low-ceiled chamber with
a dirt floor. Set in its walls were several other
doors and all were closed. As Turan stepped cau-
tiously within, the third warrior descended the spiral
runway behind him. The panthan crossed the room
quickly and tried a door. It was locked. He heard
a muffled click behind him and turned about with
ready sword. He was alone ; but the door through
which he had entered was closed — it was the click
of its lock that he had heard.

With a bound he crossed the room and attempted
to open it; but to no avail. No longer did he seek
silence, for he knew now that the thing had gone
beyond the sphere of chance. He threw his weight
against the wooden panel; but the thick skeel of
which it was constructed would have withstood a
battering ram. From beyond came a low laugh.

Rapidly Turan examined each of the other doors.
They were all locked. A glance about the chamber
revealed a wooden table and a bench. Set in the
walls were several heavy rings to which rusty chains
were attached — all too significant of the purpose to
which the room was dedicated. In the dirt floor

i68 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

near the wall were two or three holes resembling
the mouths of burrows — doubtless the habitat of
the giant Martian rat. He had observed this much
when suddenly the dim liglit was extinguished, leav-
ing him in darkness utter and complete. Turan,
groping about, sought the table and the bench.
Placing the latter against the wall he drew the table
in front of him and sat down upon the bench, his
long-sword gripped in readiness before him. At
least they should fight before they took him.

For some time he sat there waiting for he knew
not what. No sound penetrated to his subterranean
dungeon. He slowly revolved in his mind the inci-
dents of the evening — the open, unguarded gate;
the lighted doorway — the only one he had seen thus
open and lighted along the avenue he had followed ;
the advance of the warriors at precisely the moment
that he could find no other avenue of escape or con-
cealment; the corridors and chambers that led past
many locked doors to this underground prison leav-
ing no other path for him to pursue.

“By my first ancestor!” he swore; “but it was
simple and I a simpleton. They tricked me neatly
and have taken me without exposing themselves to
a scratch; but for what purpose?”

He wished that he might answer that question and
then his thoughts turned to the girl waiting there on
the hill beyond the city for him — and he would
never come. He knew the ways of the more sav-

ENTRAPPED

169

age peoples of Barsoom. No, he would never come,
now. He had disobeyed her. He smiled at the
sweet recollection of those words of command that
had fallen from her dear lips. He had disobeyed
her and now he had lost the reward.

But what of her? What now would be her
fate — starving before a hostile city with only an
inhuman kaldane for company ? Another thought —
a horrid thought — obtruded itself upon him. She
had told him of the hideous sights she had witnessed
in the burrows of the kaldanes and he knew that
they ate human flesh. Ghek was starving. Should
he eat his rykor he would be helpless; but — there
was sustenance there for them both, for the rykor
and the kaldane. Turan cursed himself for a fool.
Why had he left her? Far better to have remained
and died with her, ready always to protect her, than
to have left her at the mercy of the hideous Ban-
toomian.

Now Turan detected a heavy odor in the air.
It oppressed him with a feeling of drowsiness. He
would have risen to fight off the creeping lethargy,
but his legs seemed weak, so that he sank again to
the bench. Presently his sword slipped from his
fingers and he sprawled forward upon the table, his
head resting upon his arms.

Tara of Helium, as the night wore on and Turan
did not return, became more and more uneasy, and

170 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

when dawn broke with no sign of him she guessed
that he had failed. Something more than her own
unhappy predicament brought a feeling of sorrow
to her heart — of sorrow and loneliness. She real-
ized now how she had come to depend upon this
panthan not only for protection but for companion-
ship as well. She missed him, and in missing him
realized suddenly that he had meant more to her
than a mere hired warrior. It was as though a
friend had been taken from her — an old and valued
friend. She rose from her place of concealment that
she might have a better view of the city.

U-Dor, dwar of the 8th Utan of 0-Tar, Jeddak
of Manator, rode back in the early dawn toward
Manator from a brief excursion to a neighboring
village. As he was rounding the hills south of the
city, his keen eyes were attracted by a slight move-
ment among the shrubbery close to the summit of
the nearest hill. He halted his vicious mount and
watched more closely. He saw a figure rise facing
away from him and peer down toward Manator
beyond the hill.

Come ! ” he signalled to his followers, and with
a word to his thoat turned the beast at a rapid
gallop up the hillside. In his wake swept his twenty
savage warriors, the padded feet of their mounts
soundless upon the soft turf. It was the rattle of
sidearms and harness that brought Tara of Helium
suddenly about, facing them. She saw a score of

ENTRAPPED

ITT

warriors with couched lances bearing down upon
her.

She glanced at Ghek. What would the spider-
man do in this emergency? She saw him crawl to^
his rykor and attach himself. Then he arose, the
beautiful body once again animated and alert. She
thought that the creature was preparing for flight.
Well, it made little difference to her. Against such
as were streaming up the hill toward them a single
mediocre swordsman such as Ghek was worse than
no defense at all.

‘‘Hurry, Ghek!” she admonished him. “Back
into the hills! You may find there a hiding-place;”
but the creature only stepped between her and the
oncoming riders, drawing his long-sword.

“ It is useless, Ghek,” she said, when she saw that
he intended to defend her. “What can a single
sword accomplish against such odds ? ”

“I can die but once,” replied the kaldane. “You
and your panthan saved me from Luud and I but do
what your panthan would do were he here to pro-
tect you.”

“It is brave, but it is useless,” she replied.
“Sheathe your sword. They may not intend us
harm.”

Ghek let the point of his weapon drop to the
ground, but he did not sheathe it, and thus the two
stood waiting as U-Dor the dwar stopped his thoat
before them while his twenty warriors formed a

172 the chessmen of mars

rough circle about. For a long minute U-Dor sat
his mount in silence, looking searchingly first at Tara
of Helium and then at her hideous companion.

'‘What manner of creature are you?'’ he asked
presently. "And what do you before the gates of
Manator?"

"We are from far countries" replied the girl,
and we are lost and starving. We ask only food
and rest and the privilege to go our way seeking
our own homes."

U-Dor smiled a grim smile. "Manator and the
hills which guard it alone know the age of Mana-
tor," he said; "yet in all the ages that have rolled
by since Manator first was, there be no record in
the annals of Manator of a stranger departing from
Manator."

"But I am a princess," cried the girl haughtily,
*'and my country is not at war with yours. You
must give me and my companions aid and assist us
to return to our own land. It is the law of Bar-
soom."

"Manator knows only the laws of Manator,"
replied U-Dor; "but come. You shall go with us
to the city, where you, being beautiful, need have
no fear. I, myself, will protect you if O-Tar so
decrees. And as for your companion — but hold!
You said ^companions’— there are others of your
party then ? "

"You see what you see,” replied Tara haughtily#

ENTRAPPED

^73

“ Be that as it may,” said U-Dor. “If there be
more they shall not escape Manator; but as I was
saying, if your companion fights well he too may
live, for O-Tar is just, and just are the laws of
Manator. Come ! ”

Ghek demurred.

“It is useless,” said the girl, seeing that he would
have stood his ground and fought them. “Let us
go with them. Why pit your puny blade against
their mighty ones when there should lie in your
great brain the means to outwit them ? ” She spoke
in a low whisper, rapidly.

“You are right, Tara of Helium,” he replied and
sheathed his sword.

And so they moved down the hillside toward the
gates of Manator — Tara, Princess of Helium, and
Ghek, the kaldane of Bantoom — and surrounding
them rode the savage, painted warriors of U-Dor,
dwar of the 8th UUn of O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator.

CHAPTER XI

THE CHOICE OE TARA

HE dazzling sunlight of Barsoom clothed

1 Manator in an aureole of splendor as the girl
and her captors rode into the city through The Gate
of Enemies. Here the wall was some fifty feet
thick, and the sides of the passageway within the
gate were covered with parallel shelves of masonry
from bottom to top. Within these shelves, or long,
horizontal niches, stood row upon row of small
figures, appearing like tiny, grotesque statuettes of
men, their long, black hair falling below their feet
and sometimes trailing to the shelf beneath. The
figures were scarce a foot in height and but for
their diminutive proportions might have been the
mummified bodies of once living men. The girl
noticed that as they passed, the warriors saluted the
figures with their spears after the manner of Bar-
soomian fighting men in extending a military cour-
tesy, and then they rode on into the avenue beyond,
which ran, wide and stately, through the city toward
the east.

On either side were great buildings wondrously
wrought. Paintings of great beauty and an-
tiquity covered many of the walls, their colors

THE CHOICE OF TARA

175

softened and blended by the suns of ages. Upon the
pavement the life of the newly-awakened city was
already afoot. Women in brilliant trappings, be-
feathered warriors, their bodies daubed with paint;
artisans, armed but less gaily caparisoned, took their
various ways upon the duties of the day. A giant
zitidar, magnificent in rich harness, rumbled its
broad-wheeled cart along the stone pavement toward
The Gate of Enemies. Life and color and beauty
wrought together a picture that filled the eyes of
Tara of Helium with wonder and with admiration,
for here was a scene out of the dead past of dying
Mars. Such had been the cities of the founders of
her race before Throxeus, mightiest of oceans, had
disappeared from the face of a world. And from
balconies on either side men and women looked
down in silence upon the scene below.

The people in the street looked at the two pris-
oners, especially at the hideous Ghek, and called out
in question or comment to their guard; but the
watchers upon the balconies spoke not, nor did one
so much as turn a head to note their passing. There
were many balconies on each building and not a one
that did not hold its silent party of richly trapped
men and women, with here and there a child or two ;
but even the children maintained the uniform silence
and immobility of their elders. As they approached
the center of the city the girl saw that even the
roofs bore companies of these idle watchers,

176 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

harnessed and be jeweled as for some gala-day of
laughter and music; but no laughter broke from
those silent lips, nor any music from the strings of
the instruments that many of them held in jeweled
fingers.

And now the avenue widened into an immense
square, at the far end of which rose a stately edifice
gleaming white in virgin marble among the gaily
painted buildings surrounding it and its scarier
sward and gaily-flowering, green-foliaged shrub-
bery. Toward this U-Dor led his prisoners and
their guard to the great arched entrance before
which a line of fifty mounted warriors barred the
way. When the commander of the guard recog-
nized U-Dor the guardsmen fell back to either side
leaving a broad avenue through which the party
passed. Directly inside the entrance were inclined
runways leading upward on either side. U-Dor
turned to the left and led them upward to the second
floor and down a long corridor. Here they passed
other mounted men and in chambers upon either side
they saw more. Occasionally there was another
runway leading either up or^ down. A warrior, his
steed at full gallop, dashed into sight from one of
these and raced swiftly past them upon some errand.

Nowhere as yet had Tara of Helium seen a man
afoot in this great building; but when at a turn,
U-Dor led them to the third floor she caught
glimpses of chambers in which many riderless thoats

THE CHOICE OF TARA

177

were penned and others adjoining where dismounted
warriors lolled at ease or played games of skill or
chance and many there were who played at jetan,
and then the party passed into a long, wide hall
of state, as magnificent an apartment as even a
princess of mighty Helium ever had seen. The
length of the room ran an arched ceiling ablaze with
countless radium bulbs. The mighty spans extended
from wall to wall leaving the vast floor unbroken
by a single column. The arches were of white
marble, apparently quarried in single, huge blocks
from which each arch was cut complete. Between
the arches, the ceiling was set solid about the radium
bulbs with precious stones whose scintillant fire and
color and beauty filled the whole apartment. The
stones were carried down the walls in an irregular
fringe for a few feet, where they appeared to hang
like a beautiful and gorgeous drapery against the
white marble of the wall. The marble ended some
six or seven feet from the floor, the walls from that
point down being wainscoted in solid gold. The
floor itself was of marble richly inlaid with gold.
In that single room was a vast treasure equal to the
wealth of many a large city.

But what riveted the girl’s attention even more
than the fabulous treasure of decorations were the
files of gorgeously harnessed warriors who sat their
thoats in grim silence and immobility on either side
of the central aisle, rank after rank of them to the

178 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

farther walls, and as the party passed between them
she could not note so much as the flicker of an eye-
lid, or the twitching of a thoat’s ear.

‘‘The Hall of Chiefs,’’ whispered one of her
guard, evidently noting her interest. There was ^
note of pride in the fellow’s voice and something
of hushed awe. Then they passed through a great
doorway into the chamber beyond, a large, square
room in which a dozen mounted warriors lolled in
their saddles.

As U-Dor and his party entered the room, the
warriors came quickly erect in their saddles and
formed a line before another door upon the op-
posite side of the wall. The padwar commanding
them saluted U-Dor who, with his party, had halted
facing the guard.

“Send one to O-Tar announcing that U-Dor
brings two prisoners worthy of the observation of
the great jeddak,” said U-Dor; “one because of her
extreme beauty, the other because of his extreme
ugliness.”

“O-Tar sits in council with the lesser chiefs,’^
replied the lieutenant; “but the words of U-Dor the
dwar shall be carried to him,” and he turned and
gave instructions to one who sat his thoat behind
him.

“ What manner of creature is the male ? ” he asked
of U-Dor. “It cannot be that both are of one
race.”

THE CHOICE OF TARA

179

“They were together in the hills south of the
city,” explained U-Dor, “and they say that they
are lost and starving.”

“The woman is beautiful,” said the padwar.
“ She will not long go begging in the city of Mana-
tor,” and then they spoke of other matters — of the
doings of the palace, of the expedition of U-Dor,
until the messenger returned to say that O-Tar bade
them bring the prisoners to him.

They passed then through a massive doorway,
which, when opened, revealed the great council
chamber of O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator, beyond. A
central aisle led from the doorway the full length
of the great hall, terminating at the steps of a
marble dais upon which a man sat in a great throne-
chair. Upon either side of the aisle were ranged
rows of highly carved desks and chairs of skeel, a
hard wood of great beauty. Only a few of the
desks were occupied— those in the front row, just
below the rostrum.

At the entrance U-Dor dismounted with four of
his followers who formed a guard about the two
prisoners who were then conducted toward the foot
of the throne, following a few paces behind U-Dor.
As they halted at the foot of the marble steps, tke
proud gaze of Tara of Helium rested upon the
enthroned figure of the man above her. He sat erect
without stiffness — a commanding presence trapped
in the barbaric splendor that the Barsoomian chief-

iBo THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

tain loves. He was a large man, the perfection of
whose handsome face was marred only by the
hauteur of his cold eyes and the suggestion of
cruelty imparted by too thin lips. It needed no sec-
ond glance to assure the least observing that here
indeed was a ruler of men — a fighting jeddak
whose people might worship but not love, and for
whose slightest favor warriors would vie with one
another to go forth and die. This was O-Tar,
Jeddak of Manator, and as Tara of Helium saw him
for the first time she could not but acknowledge a
certain admiration for this savage chieftain who so
virily personified the ancient virtues of the God of
War.

U-Dor and the jeddak interchanged the simple
greetings of Barsoom, and then the former recounted
the details of the discovery and capture of the
prisoners. O-Tar scrutinized them both intently
during U-Dor’s narration of events, his expression
revealing naught of what passed in the brain behind
those inscrutable eyes. When the officer had fin-
ished the jeddak fastened his gaze upon Ghek.

‘^And you,” he asked, “what manner of thing
are you? From what country? Why are you in
Manator ? ”

“I am a kaldane,” replied Ghek; “the highest
type of created creature upon the face of Barsoom;
I am mind, you are matter. I come from Bantoom.
I am here because we were lost and starving.”

THE CHOICE OF TARA

i8t

^‘And you!’’ O-Tar turned suddenly on Tara.
‘'You, too, are a kaldane?”

"I am a princess of Helium,” replied the girl.
“I was a prisoner in Bantoom. This kaldane and
a warrior of my own race rescued me. The warrior
left us to search for food and water. He has doubt-
less fallen into the hands of your people. I ask you
to free him and give us food and drink and let us
go upon our way. I am a granddaughter of a
jeddak, the daughter of a jeddak of jeddaks. The
Warlord of Barsoom. I ask only the treatment that
my people would accord you or yours.”

“Helium,” repeated O-Tar. “I know naught of
Helium, nor does the Jeddak of Helium rule Mana-
tor. I, O-Tar, am Jeddak of Manator. I alone
rule. I protect my own. You have never seen a
woman or a warrior of Manator captive in Helium !
Why should I protect the people of another jeddak?
It is his duty to protect them. If he cannot, he is
weak, and his people must fall into the hands of
the strong. I, O-Tar, am strong. I will keep you.
That — ” he pointed at Ghek — “ can it fight ? ”

“It is brave,” replied Tara of Helium, “but it
has not the skill at arms which my people possess.”

“ There is none then to fight for you ? ” asked
O-Tar. “ We are a just people,” he continued with-
out waiting for a reply, “and had you one to fight
for you he might win to freedom for himself and
you as well.”

1 82 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

“But U-*Dor assured me that no stranger ever
had departed from Manator/' she answered.

0-Tar shrugged. “That does not disprove the
justice of the laws of Manator/^ replied 0-Tar,
“but rather that the warriors of Manator are in-
vincible. Had there come one who could defeat our
warriors that one had won to liberty.^’

“And you fetch my warrior,’’ cried Tara haugh-
tily, “ you shall see such swordplay as doubtless the
crumbling walls of your decaying city never have
witnessed, and if there be no trick in your offer
we are already as good as free.”

0-Tar smiled more broadly than before and
U-Dor smiled, too, and the chiefs and warriors who
looked on nudged one another and whispered,
laughing. And Tara of Helium knew then that
there was trickery in their justice; but though her
situation seemed hopeless she did not cease to hope,
for was she not the daughter of John Carter, War-
lord of Barsoom, whose famous challenge to Fate,
“I still live!” remained the one irreducible defense
against despair? At thought of her noble sire the
patrician chin of Tara of Helium rose a shade
higher. Ah! if he but knew where she was there
were little to fear then. The hosts of T im would
batter at the gates of Manator, the greaf green war-
riors of John Carter’s savage allies would swarm
up from the dead sea bottoms lusting for pillage and
for loot, the stately ships of her beloved navy would

THE CHOICE OF TAR^

i8g

soar above the unprotected towers and minarets of
the doomed city which only capitulation and heavy
tribute could then save.

But John Carter did not know ! There was only
one other to whom she might hope to look — Turan
the panthan ; but where was he ? She had seen his
sword in play and she knew that it had been wielded
by a master hand, and who should know swordplay
better than Tara of Helium, who had learned it well
under the constant tutorage of John Carter him-
self. Tricks she knew that discounted even far
greater physical prowess than her own, and a method
of attack that might have been at once the envy and
despair of the cleverest of warriors. And so it was
that her thoughts turned to Turan the panthan,
though not alone because of the protection he might
afford her. She had realized, since he had left her
in search of food, that there had grown between
them a certain comradeship that she now missed.
There had been that about him which seemed to
have bridged the gulf between their stations in life.
With him she had failed to consider that he was a
panthan or that she was a princess — they had been
comrades.y.t^^^ddenly she realized that she missed
him for niffeiself more than for his sword. She
turned toward 0-Tar.

Where is Turan, my warrior?” she demanded.

‘^You shall not lack for warriors,” replied the
jeddak. One of your beauty will find plenty ready

1 84 the chessmen OF MARS

to fight for her. Possibly it shall not be necessary
to look farther than the jeddak of Manator. You
please me, woman. What say you to such an
honor ? ’’

Through narrowed lids the Princess of Helium
scrutinized the Jeddak of Manator, from feathered
headdress to sandaled foot and back to feathered
headdress.

** ‘ Honor’ ! ” she mimicked in tones of scorn. I
please thee, do I? Then know, swine, that thou
pleaseth me not — that the daughter of John Carter
is not for such as thou ! ”

A sudden, tense silence fell upon the assembled
chiefs. Slowly the blood receded from the sinister
face of O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator, leaving him a
sickly purple in his wrath. His eyes narrowed to
two thin slits, his lips were compressed to a blood-
less line of malevolence. For a long moment there
was no sound in the throne room of the palace at
Manator. Then the jeddak turned toward U-Dor.

‘‘Take her away,” he said in a level voice that
belied his appearance of rage. “Take her away,
and at the next games let the prisoners and the
common warriors play at jetan for her.”

“And this?” asked U-Dor, pointing at Ghek.

“To the pits until the next games,” replied O-Tar.

“So this is your vaunted justice!” cried Tara of
Helium ; “ that two strangers who have not wronged
you shall be sentenced without trial? And one of

THE CHOICE OF TARA

185

them is a woman. The swine of Manator are as
just as they are brave.”

‘‘Away with her!” shouted O-Tar, and at a sign
from U-Dor the guards formed about the two
prisoners and conducted them from the chamber.

Outside the palace, Ghek and Tara of Helium
were separated. The girl was led through long ave-
nues toward the center of the city and finally into
a low building, topped by lofty towers of massive
construction. Here she was turned over to a war-
rior who wore the insignia of a dwar, or captain.

“It is 0-Tar’s wish,” explained U-Dor to this
one, “that she be kept until the next games, when
the prisoners and the common warriors shall play
for her. Had she not the tongue of a thoat she
had been a worthy stake for our noblest steel,” and
U-Dor sighed. “Perhaps even yet I may win a
pardon for her. It were too bad to see such beauty
fall to the lot of some common fellow. I would
have honored her myself.”

“If I am to be imprisoned, imprison me,” said
the girl. “I do not recall that I was sentenced to
listen to the insults of every low-born boor who
chanced to admire me.”

“ You see, A-Kor,” cried U-Dor, “the tongue that
she has. Even so and worse spoke she to O-Tar
the jeddak.”

“I see,” replied A-Kor, whom Tara saw was
with difficulty restraining a smile. “Come, then,

i86 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

with me, woman,’’ he said ‘‘ and we shall find a safe
place within The Towers of Jetan — but stay! what
ails thee ? ”

The girl had staggered and would have fallen had
not the man caught her in his arms. She seemed to
gather herself then and bravely sought to stand erect
without support. A-Kor glanced at U-Dor. Knew
you the woman was ill ? ” he asked.

“Possibly it is lack of food,” replied the other.
“ She mentioned, I believe, that she and her com-
panions had not eaten for several days.”

“Brave ^re the warriors of Q-Tar,” sneered
A-Kor; “lavish their hospitality. U-Dor, whose
riches are uncounted, and the brave O-Tar, whose
squealing thoats are stabled within marble halls
and fed from troughs of gold, can spare no crust
to feed a starving girl.”

The black haired U-Dor scowled. “ Thy tongue
will yet pierce thy heart, son of a slave! ” he cried.
“ Once too often mayst thou try the patience of the
just O-Tar. Hereafter guard thy speech as well as
thy towers.”

“ Think not to taunt me with my mother’s state,”
said A-Kor. ‘‘^’Tis the blood of the slave woman
that fills my veins with pride, and my only shame
is that I am also the son of thy jeddak.”

“And O-Tar heard this?” queried U-Dor.

“O-Tar has already heard it from my own lips,”
replied A-Kor; “this, and more.”

THE CHOICE OF TARA

187

He turned upon his heel, a supporting arm still
around the waist of Tara of Helium and thus he
half led, half carried her into The Towers of
Jetan, while U-Dor wheeled his thoat and galloped
back in the direction of the palace.

Within the main entrance to The Towers of Jetan
lolled a half-dozen warriors. To one of these spoke
A-Kor, keeper of the towers. “Fetch Lan-O, the
slave girl, and bid her bring food and drink to the
upper level of the Thurian tower,’' then he lifted
the half-fainting girl in his arms and bore her along
the spiral, inclined runway that led upward within
the tower.

Somewhere in the long ascent Tara lost con-
sciousness. When it returned she found herself
in a large, circular chamber, the stone walls of
which were pierced by windows at regular inter-
vals about the entire circumference of the room.
She was lying upon a pile of sleeping silks and
furs while there knelt above her a young woman
who was forcing drops of some cooling beverage
between her parched lips. Tara of Helium half
rose upon an elbow and looked about. In the first
moments of returning consciousness there were
Wept from the screen of recollection the happen-
ings of many weeks. She thought that she awoke
in the palace of The Warlord at Helium. Her
brows knit as she scrutinized the strange face bend-
ing over her.

i88 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

‘‘Who are you?” she asked, and, “Where is
Uthia?”

“I am Lan-O the slave girl,” replied the other.
‘‘I know none by the name of Uthia.”

Tara of Helium sat erect and looked about her.
This rough stone was not the marble of her father’s
halls. “Where am I?” she asked.

“In The Thurian Tower,” replied the girl, and
then seeing that the other still did not understand
she guessed the truth. “You are a prisoner in
The Towers of Jetan in the city of Manator,” she
explained. “You were brought to this chamber,
weak and fainting, by A-Kor, Dwar of The Towers
of Jetan, who sent me to you with food and drink,
for kind is the heart of A-Kor.”

“I remember, now,” said Tara, slowly. “I re-
member; but where is Turan, my warrior? Did
they speak of him?”

“I heard naught of another,” replied Lan-O;
“you alone were brought to the towers. In that
you are fortunate, for there be no nobler man in
Mailator than A-Kor. It is his mother’s blood that
makes him so. She was a slave girl from Gathol.”

“Gathol!” exclaimed Tara of Helium. “Lies
Gathol close by Manator?”

“ Not close, yet still the nearest country,” replied
Lan-O. “About twenty-two degrees^ east, it lies.”

“Gathol!” murmured Tara, “Far Gathol!”

lApproximately 814 Earth Miles.

THE CHOICE OF T7IR~A

189

“But you are not from Gathol,” said the slave
girl; “your harness is not of Gathol.”

“I am from Helium,” said Tara.

“It is far from Helium to Gathol,” said the
slave girl, “but in our studies we learned much
of the greatness of Helium, we of Gathol, so it
seems not so far away.”

“You, too, are from Gathol?” asked Tara,

“Many of us are from Gathol who are slaves
in Manator,” replied the girl. “It is to Gathol,
nearest country, that the Manatorians look for
slaves most often. They go in great numbers at
intervals of three or seven years and haunt the
roads that lead to Gathol, and thus they capture
whole caravans leaving none to bear warning to
Gathol of their fate. Nor do any ever escape
from Manator to carry word of us back to Gahan
our jed.”

Tara of Helium ate slowly and in silence. The
girl's words aroused memories of the last hours
she had spent in her father’s palace and the great
midday function at which she had met Gahan of
Gathol. Even now she flushed as she recalled his
daring words.

Upon her reveries the door opened and a burly
warrior appeared in the opening — a hulking fel-
low, with thick lips and an evil, leering face. The
slave girl sprang to her feet, facing him.

“What does this mean, E-Med?” she cried;

igo

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

'‘was it not the will of A-Kor that this woman
be not disturbed?”

“The will of A-Kor, indeed!” and the man
sneered. “The will of A-Kor is without power
in The Towers of Jetan, or elsewhere, for A-Kor
lies now in the pits of 0-Tar, and E-Med is dwar
of the Towers.”

Tara of Helium saw the face of the slave girl
pale and the terror in her eyes.

CHAPTER XII

GHEK PLAYS PRANKS

WHILE Tara of Helium was being led

The Towers of Jetan, Ghek was escorted
to the pits beneath the palaee where he was im-
prisoned in a dimly-lighted chamber. Here he
found a bench and a table standing upon the dirt
floor near the wall, and set in the wall several
rings from which depended short lengths of chain.
At the base of the walls were several holes in the
dirt floor. These, alone, of the several things he
saw, interested him. Ghek sat down upon the bench
and waited in silence, listening. Presently the lights
were extinguished. If Ghek could have smiled he
would have then, for Ghek could see as well in
the dark as in the light — better, perhaps. He
watched the dark openings of the holes in the floor
and waited. Presently he detected a change in the
air about him — it grew heavy with a strange odor,
and once again might Ghek have smiled, could he
have smiled.

Let them replace all the air in the chamber with
their most deadly fumes; it would be all the same
to Ghek, the kaldane, who, having no lungs, re-
quired no air. With the rykor it might be dif-

192

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

ferent. Deprived of air it would die; but if only
a sufficient amount of the gas was introduced to
stupefy an ordinary creature it would have no
effect upon the rykor, who had no objective mind
to overcome. So long as the excess of carbon
dioxide m the blood was not sufficient to prevent
heart action, the rykor would suffer only a diminu-
tion of vitality; but would still respond to the ex-
citing agency of the kaldane's brain.

Ghek caused the rykor to assume a sitting posi-
tion with its back against the wall where it might
remain without direction from his brain. Then
he released his contact with its spinal cord; but
remained in position upon its shoulders, waiting
and watching, for the kaldane’s curiosity was
aroused. He had not long to wait before the lights
were flashed on and one of the locked doors opened
to admit a half-dozen warriors. They approached
him rapidly and worked quickly. First they re-
moved all his weapons and then, snapping a fetter
about one of the rykor ’s ankles, secured him to
the end of one of the chains hanging from the
walls. Next they dragged the long table to a new
position and there bolted it to the floor so that an
end, instead of the middle, was directly before the
prisoner. On the table before him they set food
and water and upon the opposite end of the table
they laid the key to the fetter. Then they unlocked
and opened all the doors and departed.

GHEK PLAYS PRANKS

19^

When Turan the panthan regained consciousness
it was to the realization of a sharp pain in one of
his forearms. The effects of the gas departed as
rapidly as they had overcome him so that as he
opened his eyes he was in full possession of all his
faculties. The lights were on again and in their
glow there was revealed to the man the figure of
a giant Martian rat crouching upon the table and
gnawing upon his arm. Snatching his arm away
he reached for his short-sword, while the rat,,
growling, sought to seize his arm again. It was
then that Turan discovered that his weapons had
been removed — short-sword, long-sword, dagger,
and pistol. The rat charged him then and striking
the creature away with his hand the man rose and
backed off, searching for something with which to
strike a harder blow. Again the rat charged and
as Turan stepped quickly back to avoid the menacing
jaws, something seemed to jerk suddenly upon his
right ankle, and as he drew his left foot back to
regain his equilibrium his heel caught upon a taut
chain and he fell heavily backward to the floor just
as the rat leaped upon his breast and sought his
throat.

The Martian rat is a fierce and unlovely thing.
It is many-legged and hairless, its hide resembling
that of a new-born mouse in repulsiveness. In size
and weight it is comparable to a large Airedale
terrier. Its eyes are small and close-set, and almost

194 the chessmen OF MARS

hidden in deep, fleshy apertures. But its most
ferocious and repulsive feature is its jaws, the entire
bony structure of which protrudes several inches
beyond the flesh, revealing five sharp, spadelike
teeth in the upper jaw and the same number of
similar teeth in the lower, the whole suggesting
the appearance of a rotting face from which much
of the flesh has sloughed away.

It was such a thing that leaped upon the breast
of the panthan to tear at his jugular. Twice Turan
struck it away as he sought to regain his feet, but
both times it returned with increased ferocity to
renew the attack. Its only weapons are its jaws
since its broad, splay feet are armed with blunt
talons. With its protruding jaws it excavates its
winding burrows and with its broad feet it pushes
the dirt behind it. To keep the jaws from his flesh
then was Turan's only concern and this he suc-
ceeded in doing until chance gave him a hold upon
the creature’s throat. After that the end was but
a matter of moments. Rising at last he flung the
lifeless thing from him with a shudder of disgust.

Now he turned his attention to a hurried in-
ventory of the new conditions which surrounded
him since the moment of his incarceration. He
realized vaguely what had happened. He had been
anaesthetized and stripped of his weapons, and as
he rose to his feet he saw that one ankle was fet-
tered to a chain in the wall. He looked about the

GHEK PLAYS PRANKS

195

room. All the doors swung wide open! His
captors would render his imprisonment the more
cruel by leaving ever before him tempting glimpses
of open aisles to the freedom he could not attain.
Upon the end of the table and within easy reach
was food and drink. This at least was attainable
and at sight of it his starved stomach seemed almost
to cry aloud for sustenance. It was with difficulty
that he ate and drank in moderation.

As he devoured the food his eyes wandered about
the confines of his prison until suddenly they seized
upon a thing that lay on the table at the end farthest
from him. It was a key. He raised his fettered
ankle and examined the lock. There could be no
doubt of it! The key that lay there on the table
before him was the key to that very lock. A care-
less warrior had laid it there and departed, for-
getting. Hope surged high in the breast of Gahan
of Gathol, of Turan the panthan. Furtively his
eyes sought the open doorways. There was no one
in sight. Ah, if he could but gain his freedom?
He would find some way from this odious city back
to her side and never again would he leave her until
he had won safety for her or death for himself.

He rose and moved cautiously toward the oppo-
site end of the table where lay the coveted key. The
fettered ankle halted his first step, but he stretched
at full length along the table, extending eager fingers
toward the prize. They almost laid hold upon it —

196 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

a little more and they would touch it. He strained
and stretched, but still the thing lay just beyond
his reach. He hurled himself forward until th«
iron fetter bit deep into his flesh, but all futilely.
He sat back upon the bench then and glared at
the open doors and the key, realizing now that they
were part of a well-laid scheme of refined torture,
none the less demoralizing because it inflicted no
physical suffering.

For just a moment the man gave way to useless
regret and foreboding, then he gathered himself
together, his brows cleared, and he returned to his
unfinished meal. At least they should not have
the satisfaction of knowing how sorely they had
hit him. As he ate it occurred to him that by
dragging the table along the floor he could bring
the key within his reach, but when he essayed to
do so, he found that the table had been securely
bolted to the floor during the period of his uncon-
sciousness. Again Gahan smiled and shrugged and
resumed his eating.

s

When the warriors had departed from the prison
in which Ghek was confined, the kaldane crawled
from the shoulders of the rykor to the table. Here
he drank a little water and then directed the hands
of the rykor to the balance of it and to the food,
upon which the brainless thing fell with avidity.
While it was thus engaged Ghek took his spider-

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GHEK PLAYS PRANKS

197

like way along the table to the opposite end where
lay the key to the fetter. Seizing it in a chela he
leaped to the floor and scurried rapidly toward the
mouth of one of the burrows against the wall, into
which he disappeared. For long had the brain been
contemplating these burrow entrances. They ap-
pealed to his kaldanean tastes, and further, they
pointed a hiding place for the key and a lair for
the only kind of food that the kaldane relished —
flesh and blood.

Ghek had never seen an ulsio, since these great
Martian rats had long ago disappeared from Ban-
toom, their flesh and blood having been greatly
relished by the kaldanes; but Ghek had inherited,
almost unimpaired, every memory of every ances-
tor, and so he knew that ulsio inhabited these lairs
and that ulsio was good to eat, and he knew what
ulsio looked like and what his habits were, though
he had never seen him nor any picture of him. As
we breed animals for the transmission of physical
attributes, so the kaldanes breed themselves for the
transmission of attributes of the mind, including
memory and the power of recollection, and thus
have they raised what we term instinct, above the
level of the threshold of the objective mind where
it may be commanded and utilized by recollection.
Doubtless in our own subjective minds lie many of
the impressions and experiences of our forebears.
These may impinge upon our consciousness in

198 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

dreams only, or in vague, haunting suggestions that
we have before experienced some transient phase o^
our present existence. Ah, if we had but the power
to recall them! Before us would unfold the for-
gotten story of the lost eons that have preceded us.
We might even walk with God in the garden of
His stars while man was still but a budding idea
within His mind.

Ghek descended into the burrow at a steep incline
for some ten feet, when he found himself in an
elaborate and delightful network of burrows. The
kaldane was elated. This indeed was life! He
moved rapidly and fearlessly and he went as straight
to his goal as you could to the kitchen of your own
home. This goal lay at a low level in a spheroidal
cavity about the size of a large barrel. Here, in
a nest of torn bits of silk and fur lay six baby
ulsios.

When the mother returned there were but five
babies and a great spider-like creature, which she
immediately sprang to attack only to be met by
powerful chelae which seized and held her so that
she could not move. Slowly they dragged her
throat toward a hideous mouth and in a little
moment she was dead.

Ghek might have remained in the nest for a long
time, since there was ample food for many days;
but he did not do so. Instead he explored the bur-
rows. He followed them into many subterranean

GHEK PLAYS PRANKS

T99

chambers of the city of Manator, and upward
through walls to rooms above the ground. He
found many ingeniously devised traps, and he found
poisoned food and other signs of the constant battle
that the inhabitants of Manator waged against these
repulsive creatures that dwelt beneath their homes
and public buildings.

His exploration revealed not only the vast pro-
portions of the net-work of runways that appar-
ently traversed every portion of the city, but the
great antiquity of the majority of them. Tons upon
tons of dirt must have been removed, and for a
long time he wondered where it had been deposited,
until in following downward a tunnel of great size
and length he sensed before him the thunderous
rush of subterranean waters, and presently came to
the bank of a great, underground river, tumbling
onward, no doubt, the length of a world to the
buried sea of Omean. Into this torrential sewer
had unthinkable generations of ulsios pushed their
few handsful of dirt in the excavating of their vast
labyrinth.

For only a moment did Ghek tarry by the
river, for his seemingly aimless wanderings were
in reality prompted by a definite purpose, and this
he pursued with vigor and singleness of design.
He followed such runways as appeared to terminate
in the pits or other chambers of the inhabitants of
the city, and these he explored, usually from the

200 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

safety of a burrow’s mouth, until satisfied that
what he sought was not there. He moved swiftly
upon his spider legs and covered remarkable dis-
tances in short periods of time.

His search not being rewarded with immediate
success, he decided to return to the pit where his
rykor lay chained and look to its wants. As he
approached the end of the burrow that terminated
in the pit he slackened his pace, stopping just within
the entrance of the runway that he might scan the
interior of the chamber before entering it. As he
did so he saw the figure of a warrior appear sud-
denly in an opposite doorway. The rykor sprawled
upon the table, his hands groping blindly for more
food. Ghek saw the warrior pause and gaze in
sudden astonishment at the rykor; he saw the fel-
low’s eyes go wide and an ashen hue replace the
copper bronze of his cheek. He stepped back as
though someone had struck him in the face. For
an instant only he stood thus as in a paralysis of
fear, then he uttered a smothered shriek and turned
and fled. Again was it a catastrophe that Ghek,
the kaldane, could not smile.

Quickly entering the room he crawled to the
table top' and affixed himself to the shoulders of
his rykor, and there he waited; and who may say
that Ghek, though he could not smile, possessed not
a sense of humor? For a half-hour he sat there,
and then there came to him the sound of men ap-

GHEK PLAYS PRANKS

201

preaching along corridors of stone. He could hear
their arms clank against the rocky walls and he
knew that they came at a rapid pace; but just before
they reached the entrance to his prison they paused
and advanced more slowly. In the lead was an
officer, and just behind him, wide-eyed and perhaps
still a little ashen, the warrior who had so recently
departed in haste. At the doorway they halted and
the officer turned sternly upon the warrior. With
upraised finger he pointed at Ghek.

“There sits the creature! Didst thou dare lie,
then, to thy dwar?’^

“I swear,” cried the warrior, “that I spoke the
truth. But a moment since the thing groveled,
headless, upon this very table! And may my first
ancestor strike me dead upon the spot if I speak
other than a true word!”

The officer looked puzzled. The men of Mars
seldom if ever lie. He scratched his head. Then
he addressed Ghek. “How long have you been
here?” he asked.

“Who knows better than those who placed me
here and chained me to a wall?” he returned in
reply.

“ Saw you this warrior enter here a few minutes
since ? ”

“I saw him,” replied Ghek.

“And you sat there where you sit now?” con-
tinued the officer.

202

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

‘‘Look thou to my chain and tell me then where
else might I sit ! ” cried Ghek. “Art the people of
thy city all fools?’’

Three other warriors pressed behind the two in
front, craning their necks to view the prisoner while
they grinned at the discomfiture of their fellow.
The officer scowled at Ghek.

“ Thy tongue is as venomous as that of the she-
banth O-Tar sent to The Towers of Jetan,” he
said.

“You speak of the young woman who was cap-
tured with me?” asked Ghek, his expressionless
monotone and face revealing naught of the interest
he felt.

“I speak of her,” replied the dwar, and then
turning to the warrior who had summoned him:
“Return to thy quarters and remain there until
the next games. Perhaps by that time thy eyes
may have learned not to deceive thee.”

The fellow cast a venomous glance at Ghek and
turned away. The officer shook his head. “I do
not understand it,” he muttered. “Always has
U-Van been a true and dependable warrior. Could
it be — ?” he glanced piercingly at Ghek. “Thou
hast a strange head that misfits thy body, fellow,”
he cried. “Our legends tell us of those ancient
creatures that placed hallucinations upon the minds
of their fellows. If thou be such then maybe U-Van
suffered from thy forbidden powers. If thou be

GHEK PLAYS PRANKS

203

such O-Tar will know well how to deal with thee.”
He wheeled about and motioned his warriors to
follow him.

“Waitl” cried Ghek. “Unless I am to be
starved, send me food.”

“You have had food,” replied the warrior.

“Am I to be fed but once a day?” asked Ghek.
“ I require food oftener than that. Send me food.”

“ You shall have food,” replied the officer. “ None
may say that the prisoners of Manator are ill-fed.
Just are the laws of Manator,” and he departed.

No sooner had the sounds of their passing died
away in the distance than Ghek clambered from
the shoulders of his rykor, and scurried to the bur-
row where he had hidden the key. Fetching it he
unlocked the fetter from about the creature’s ankle,
locked it empty and carried the key farther down
into the burrow. Then he returned to his place upon
his brainless servitor. After a while he heard foot-
steps approaching, whereupon he rose and passed
into another corridor from that down which he
knew the warrior was coming. Here he waited
out of sight, listening. He heard the man enter
the chamber and halt. He heard a muttered ex-
clamation, followed by the jangle of metal dishes
as a salver was slammed upon a table ; then rapidly
retreating footsteps, which quickly died away in
the distance.

Ghek lost no time in returning to the chamber.

204 the chessmen OF MARS

recovering the key, relocking the rykor to his chain.
Then he replaced the key in the burrow, and squat-
ting on the table beside his headless body, directed
its hands toward the food. While the rykor ate
Ghek sat listening for the scraping sandals and clat-
tering arms that he knew soon would come. Nor
had he long to wait Ghek scrambled to the shoul-
ders of his rykor as he heard them coming. Again
it was the officer who had been summoned by U-Van
and with him were three warriors. The one directly
behind him was evidently the same who had brought
the food, for his eyes went wide when he saw Ghek
sitting at the table and he looked very foolish as
the dwar turned his stern glance upon him.

‘‘It is even as I said,’’ he cried. “He was not
here when I brought his food.”

“But he is here now,” said the officer grimly,
“and his fetter is locked about his ankle. Look!
it has not been opened — but where is the key? It
should be upon the table at the end opposite him.
Where is the key, creature?” he shouted at Ghek.

“How should I, a prisoner, know better than
my jailer the whereabouts of the key to my fet-
ters?” he retorted.

“But it lay here,” cried the officer, pointing to
the other end of the table.

“Did you see it?” asked Ghek.

The officer hesitated. “No; but it must have
been there,” he parried.

GHEK PLAYS PRANKS

205

** Did you see the key lying there ? ’’ asked Ghek,
pointing to another warrior.

The fellow shook his head negatively. ‘‘And
you? and you?’’ continued the kaldane addressing
the others.

They both admitted that they never had seen
the key. “And if it had been there how could I
have reached it?’’ he continued.

“No, he could not have reached it,” admitted
the officer; “but there shall be no more of this?
I-Zav, you will remain here on guard with this
prisoner until you are relieved.”

I-Zav looked anything but happy as this intelli-
gence was transmitted to him, and he eyed Ghek
suspiciously as the dwar and the other warriors
turned and left him to his unhappy lot.

CHAPTER XIII

A DESPERATE DEED

E- MED crossed the tower chamber toward Tara
of Helium and the slave girl, Lan-O. He
seized the former roughly by a shoulder. ‘‘ Stand ! ”
he commanded. Tara struck his hand from her
and rising, backed away.

"‘Lay not your hand upon the person of a prin-
cess of Helium, beast!” she warned.

E-Med laughed. “ Think you that I play at jetan
for you without first knowing something of the
stake for which I play?” he demanded. “Come
here ! ”

The girl drew herself to her full height, folding
her arms across her breast, nor did E-Med note
that the slim fingers of her right hand were in-
serted beneath the broad leather strap of her har-
ness where it passed over her left shoulder.

“And 0-Tar learns of this you shall rue it,
E-Med,” cried the slave girl; “there be no law
in Manator that gives you this girl before you
shall have won her fairly.”

“What cares O-Tar for her fate?” replied
E-Med. “Have I not heard? Did she not flout
the great jeddak, heaping abuse upon him? By

206

'A DESPERATE DEED

207

my first ancestor, I think 0-Tar might make a jed
of the man who subdued her,’’ and again he ad-
vanced toward Tara.

“ Wait ! ” said the girl in low, even tone. “ Per-
haps you know not what you do. Sacred to the
people of Helium are the persons of the women
of Helium. For the honor of the humblest of
them would the great jeddak himself unsheathe his
sword. The greatest nations of Barsoom have
trembled to the thunders of war in defense of the
person of Dejah Thoris, my mother. We are but
mortal and so may die ; but we may not be defiled.
You may play at jetan for a princess of Helium,
but though you may win the match, never may you
claim the reward. If thou wouldst possess a dead
body press me too far, but know, man of Manator,
that the blood of The Warlord flows not in the
veins of Tara of Helium for naught. I have
spoken.”

‘‘I know naught of Helium and O-Tar is our
warlord,” replied E-Med; ‘‘but I do know that I
would examine more closely the prize that I shall
play for and win. I would test the lips of her who
is to be my slave after the next games; nor is it
well, woman, to drive me too far to anger.” His
eyes narrowed as he spoke, his visage taking on
the semblance of that of a snarling beast. “If
you doubt the truth of my words ask Lan-0, the
slave girl.”

2o8 the chessmen QF MARS

“He speaks truly, O woman of Helium,” inter-
jected Lan-O. “Try not the temper of E-Med,
if you value your life.”

But Tara of Helium made no reply. Already
had she spoken. She stood in silence now facing
the burly warrior who approached her. He came
close and then quite suddenly he seized her and,
bending, tried to draw her lips to his.

Lan-O saw the woman from Helium half turn,
and with a quick movement jerk her right hand
from where it had lain upon her breast. She saw
the hand shoot from beneath the arm of E-Med
and rise behind his shoulder and she saw in the
hand a long, slim blade. The lips of the warrior
were drawing closer to those of the woman, but
they never touched them, for suddenly the man
straightened, stiffly, a shriek upon his lips, and then
he crumpled like an empty fur and lay, a shrunken
heap, upon the floor. Tara of Helium stooped and
wiped her blade upon his harness.

Lan-O, wide-eyed, looked with horror upon the
corpse. “For this we shall both die,” she cried.

“And who would live a slave in Manator?” asked
Tara of Helium.

“ I am not so brave as thou,” said the slave girl,
“and life is sweet and there is always hope.”

“Life is sweet,” agreed Tara of Helium, “but
honor is sacred. But do not fear. When they
come I shall tell them the truth — that you had

'A DESPERATE DEED

209

no hand in this and no opportunity tp prevent it.”

For a moment the slave girl seemed to be think-
ing deeply. Suddenly her eyes lighted. ** There
is a way, perhaps,” she said, ‘‘ to turn suspicion from
us. He has the key to this chamber upon him. Let
us open the door and drag him out — maybe we
shall find a place to hide him.”

“ Good ! ” exclaimed Tara of Helium, and the two
immediately set about the matter Lan-0 had sug-
gested. Quickly they found the key and unlatched
the door and then, between them, they half car-
ried, half dragged, the corpse of E-Med from the
room and down the stairway to the next level where
Lan-0 said there were vacant chambers. The first
door they tried was unlatched, and through this
the two bore their grisly burden into a small room
lighted by a single window. The apartment bore
evidence of having been utilized as a living-room
rather than as a cell, being furnished with a degree
of comfort and even luxury. The walls were
paneled to a height of about seven feet from the
floor, while the plaster above and the ceiling were
decorated with faded paintings of another day.

As Tara’s eyes ran quickly over the interior her
attention was drawn to a section of paneling that
seemed to be separated at one edge from the piece
next adjoining it. Quickly she crossed to it, dis-
covering that one vertical edge of an entire panel
projected a half-inch beyond the others. There was

210 THF, CHESSMEN OF MARS

a possible e^^ptoation which piqued her curiosity,
and acting upon its suggestion she seized upon the
projecting edge and pulled outward. Slowly the
panel swung toward her, revealing a dark aperture
in the wall behind.

‘‘Look, Lan-O!” she cried. ‘‘See what I have
found — a hole in which we may hide the thing
upon the floor.”

Lan-O joined her and together the two investi-
gated the dark aperture, finding a small platform
from which a narrow runway led downward into
Stygian darkness. Thick dust covered the floor
within the doorway, indicating that a great period
of time had elapsed since human foot had trod it
— a secret way, doubtless, unknown to living Man-
atorian. Here they dragged the corpse of E-Med,
leaving it upon the platform, and as they left the
dark and forbidden closet Lan-O would have
slammed to the panel had not Tara prevented.

“Wait!” she said, and fell to examining the
door frame and the stile.

“Hurry!” whispered the slave girl. “If they
come we are lost.”

“It may serve us well to know how to open
this place again,” replied Tara of Helium, and then
suddenly she pressed a foot against a section of
the carved base at the right of the open panel.
“Ah!” she breathed, a note of satisfaction in her
tone, and closed the panel until it fitted snugly in

^ DESPERATE DEED

2II

its place. ‘‘Ceme!’' she said and turned toward
the outer doorway of the chamber.

They reached their own cell without detection,
and closing the door Tara locked it from the inside
and placed the key in a secret pocket in her harness.

“Let them come,” she said. “Let them ques-
tion us! What could two poor prisoners know of
the whereabouts of their noble jailer? I ask you,
Lan-O, what could they?”

“Nothing,” admitted Lan-O, smiling with her
companion.

“Tell me of these men of Manator,” said Tara
presently. “Are they all like E-Med, or are some
of them like A-Kor, who seemed a brave and chiv-
alrous character?”

“They are not unlike the peoples of other coun-
tries,” replied Lan-O. “ There be among them both
good and bad. They are brave warriors and mighty.
Among themselves they are not without chivalry
and honor, but in their dealings with strangers they
know but one law — the law of might. The weak
and unfortunate of other lands fill them with con-
tempt and arouse all that is worst in their natures,
which doubtless accounts for their treatment of us,
their slaves.”

“But why should they feel contempt for those
who have suffered the misfortune of falling into
their hands?” queried Tara.

“ I do not know,” said Lan-O ; “ A-Kor says that

212 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

he believes that it is because their country has never
been invaded by a victorious foe. In their stealthy
raids never have they been defeated, because they
have never waited to face a powerful force, and
so they have come to believe themselves invincible,
and the other peoples are held in contempt as in-
ferior in valor and the practice of arms.’*

‘‘Yet A-Kor is one of them,” said Tara^

“He is a son of O-Tar, the jeddak,” replied
Lan-O ; “ but his mother was a high born Gatholian,
captured and made slave by O-Tar, and A-Kor
boasts that in his veins runs only the blood of his
mother, and indeed is he different from the others.
His chivalry is of a gentler form, though not even
his worst enemy has dared question his courage,
while his skill with the sword, and the spear, and
the thoat is famous throughout the length and
breadth of Manator.”

“What think you they will do with him?” asked
Tara of Helium.

“Sentence him to the games,” replied Lan-O.
“If O-Tar be not greatly angered he may be sen-
tenced to but a single game, in which case he may
come out alive; but if O-Tar wishes really to dis-
pose of him he will be sentenced to the entire series,
and no warrior has ever survived the full ten, or
rather none who was under a sentence from O-Tar.”

“What are the games? I do not understand,”
said Tara. “I have heard them speak of playing

^ DESPERATE DEED

213

at jetan, but surely no one can be killed at jetan.
,We play it often at home/’

“But not as they play it in the arena at Man-
ator,” replied Lan-0. “ Come to the window/’ and
together the two approached an aperture facing
toward the east.

Below her Tara of Helium saw a great field
entirely surrounded by the low building, and the
loft]^ towers of which that in which she was im-
prisoned was but a unit. About the arena were
tiers of seats; but the thing that caught her atten-
tion was a gigantic jetan board laid out upon the
door of the arena in great squares of alternate
orange and black.

“Here they play at jetan with living pieces.
They play for great stakes and usually for a woman
— some slave of exceptional beauty. O-Tar him-
self might have played for you had you not angered
him, but now you will be played for in an open
game by slaves and criminals, and you will belong
to the side that wins — not to a single warrior, but
to all who survive the game.”

The eyes of Tara of Helium flashed, but she
made no comment.

“Those who direct the play do not necessarily
take part in it,” continued the slave girl, “but sit
in those two great thrones which you see at either
end of the board and direct their pieces from square
to square.”

214 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

^‘But where lies the danger?” asked Tara of
Helium. “ If a piece be taken it is merely removed
from the board — this is a rule of jetan as old
almost as the civilization of Barsoom.”

“But here in Manator, when they play in the
great arena with living men, that rule is altered,”
explained Lan-O. “When a warrior is moved to
a square occupied by an opposing piece, the two
battle to the death for possession of the square and
the one that is successful advantages by the move.
Each is caparisoned to simulate the piece he rep-
resents and in addition he wears that which indi-
cates whether he be slave, a warrior serving a
sentence, or a volunteer. If serving a sentence the
number of games he must play is also indicated,
and thus the one directing the moves knows which
pieces to risk and which to conserve, and further
than this, a man’s chances are affected by the posi-
tion that is assigned him for the game. Those
whom they wish to die are always Panthans in the
game, for the Pan than has the least chance of sur-
viving.”

“ Do those who direct the play ever actually take
part in it?” asked Tara.

“ Oh, yes,” said Lan-O. “ Often when two war-
riors, even of the highest class, hold a grievance
against one another 0-Tar compels them to settle
it upon the arena. Then it is that they take active
part and with drawn swords direct their own

A DESPERATE DEED

215

players from the position of Chief. They pick their
own players, usually the best of their own warriors
and slaves, if they be powerful men who possess
such, or their friends may volunteer, or they may
obtain prisoners from the pits. These are games
indeed — the very best that are seen. Often the
great chiefs themselves are slain.’’

‘‘It is within this amphitheater that the justice
of Manator is meted, then?” asked Tara.

“ Very largely,’’ replied Lan-O.

“How, then, through such justice, could a pris-
oner win his liberty?” continued the girl from
Helium.

“If a man, and he survived ten games his lib-
erty would be his,” replied Lan-O.

“But none ever survives?” queried Tara. “And
if a woman?”

“No stranger within the gates of Manator ever
has survived ten games,” replied the slave girl.
“They are permitted to offer themselves into per-
petual slavery if they prefer that to fighting at jetan.
Of course they may be called upon, as any war-
rior. to take part in a game; but their chances then
of surviving are increased, since they may never
again have the chance of winning to liberty.”

“But a womart” insisted Tara; “how may a
woman win her freedom?”

Lan-O laughed. “Very simply,” she cried, de-
risively. “ She has but to find a warrior who will

2i6 the chessmen OF MARS

fight through ten consecutive games for her and
survive.”

** ‘ Just are the laws of Manator/ ” quoted Tara,
scornfully.

Then it was that they heard footsteps outside
their cell and a moment later a key turned in the
lock and the door opened. A warrior faced them.

‘‘Hast seen E-Med the dwar?” he asked.

“Yes,” replied Tara, “he was here some time
ago.”

The man glanced quickly about the bare cham-
ber and then search ingly first at Tara of Helium
and then at the slave girl, Lan-O. The puzzled
expression upon his face increased. He scratched
his head. “It is strange,” he said. “A score of
men saw him ascend into this tower; and though
there is but a single exit, and that well guarded,
no man has seen him pass out.”

Tara of Helium hid a yawn with the back of a
shapely hand. “The Princess of Helium is hungry,
fellow,” she drawled; “tell your master that she
would eat.”

It was an hour later that food was brought, an
officer and several warriors accompanying the
bearer. The former examined the room carefully,
but there was no sign that aught amiss had oc-
curred there. The wound that had sent E-Med
the dwar to his ancestors had not bled, fortunately
for Tara of Helium.

A DESPERATE DEED

217

‘‘Woman/’ cried the officer, turning upon Tara,
“ you were the last to see E-Med the dwar. Answer
me now and answer me truthfully. Did you see
him leave this room?”

“I did,” answered Tara of Helium.

“Where did he go from here?”

“How should I know? Think you that I can
pass through a locked door of skeel?” the girl’s
tone was scornful.

“Of that we do not know,” said the officer.
“ Strange things have happened in the cell of your
companion in the pits of Manator. Perhaps you
could pass through a locked door of skeel as easily
as he performs seemingly more impossible feats.”

“Whom do you mean,” she cried; “Turan the
panthan? He lives, then? Tell me, is he here in
Manator unharmed?”

“I speak of that thing which calls itself Ghek
the kaldane,” replied the officer.

“But Turan! Tell me, padwar, have you heard
aught of him?” Tara’s tone was insistent and she
leaned a little forward toward the officer, her lips
slightly parted in expectancy.

Into the eyes of the slave girl, Lan-O, who was
watching her, there crept a soft light of under-^
standing; but the officer ignored Tara’s question
— what was the fate of another slave to him?
“ Men do not disappear into thin air,” he growled,
“and if E-Med be not found soon 0-Tar himself

2i8 the chessmen QF MARS

may take a hand in this. I warn you, woman, if
you be one of those horrid Corphals that by com-
manding the spirits of the wicked dead gains evil
mastery over the living, as many now believe the
thing called Ghek to be, that lest you return E-Med,
O-Tar will have no mercy on you.’’

“What foolishness is this?” cried the girl. “I
am a princess of Helium, as I have told you all a
score of times. Even if the fabled Corphals existed,
as none but the most ignorant now believes, the lore
of the ancients tells us that they entered only into
the bodies of wicked criminals of the lowest class.
Man of Manator, thou art a fool, and thy jeddak
and all his people,” and she turned her royal back
upon the padwar, and gazed through the window
across the Field of Jetan and the roofs of Manator
toward the low hills and the rolling country and
freedom.

“And you know so much of Corphals, then,” he
cried, “you know that while no common man dare
harm them they may be slain by the hand of a
jeddak with impunity!”

The girl did not reply, nor would she speak again,
for all his threats and rage, for she knew now that
none in all Manator dared harm her save O-Tar,
the jeddak, and after a while the padwar left, tak-
ing his men with him. And after they had gone
Tara stood for long looking out upon the city of
Manator, and wondering what more of cruel wrongs

'A DESPERATE DEED

219

Fate held in store for her. She was standing thus
in silent meditation when there rose to her the
strains of martial music from the city below — the
deep, mellow tones of the long war trumpets of
mounted troops, the clear, ringing notes of foot-
soldiers’ music. The girl raised her head and looked
about, listening, and Lan-O, standing at an oppo-
site window, looking toward the west, motioned
Tara to join her. Now they could see across roofs
and avenues to The Gate of Enemies, through
which troops were marching into the city.

“ The Great Jed is coming,” said Lan-O; ‘‘ none
other dares enter thus, with blaring trumpets, the
city of Manator. It is U-Thor, Jed of Manatos,
second city of Manator. They call him The Great
Jed the length and breadth of Manator, and be-
cause the people love him, O-Tar hates him. They
say, who know, that it would need but slight provo-
cation to inflame the two to war. How such a
war would end no one could guess, for the people
of Manator worship the great O-Tar, though they
do not love him. U-Thor they love, but he is not
the jeddak,” and Tara understood, as only a Mar-
tian may, how much that simple statement encom-
passed.

The loyalty of a Martian to his jeddak is almost
an instinct, and second not even to the instinct of
self-preservation at that. Nor is this strange in
a race whose religion includes ancestor worship.

220 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

and where families tr^e their origin back into
remote ages and a jeddak sits upon the same throne
that his direct progenitors have occupied for, per-
haps, hundreds of thousands of years, and rules the
descendants of the same people that his forebears
ruled. Wicked jeddaks have been dethroned, but
seldom are they replaced by other than members
of the imperial house, even though the law gives
to the jeds the right to select whom they please.

‘‘U-Thor is a just man and good, then?” asked
Tara of Helium.

“There be none nobler,” replied Lan-0. “In
Manatos none but wicked criminals who deserve
death are forced to play at jetan, and even then
the play is fair and they have their chance for free-
dom. Volunteers may play, but the moves are not
necessarily to the death — a wound, and even some-
times points in swordplay, deciding the issue. There
they look upon jetan as a martial sport — here it
is but butchery. And U-Thor is opposed to the
ancient slave raids and to the policy that keeps
Manator forever isolated from the other nations
of Barsoom; but U-Thor is not jeddak and so there
is no change.”

The two girls watched the column moving up
the broad avenue from The Gate of Enemies
toward the palace of O-Tar. A gorgeous, bar-
baric procession of painted warriors in jewel-studded
harness and waving feathers; vicious, squealing

DESPERATE DEED

221

thoats caparisoned in rich trappings; far above
their heads the long lances of their riders bore flut »
tering pennons; foot-soldiers swinging easily along
the stone pavement, their sandals of zitidar hide
giving forth no sound; and at the rear of each
utan a train of painted chariots, drawn by mam-
moth zitidars, carrying the equipment of the com-
pany to which they were attached. Utan after
utan entered through the great gate, and even when
the head of the column reached the palace of O-Tar
they were not all within the city.

have been here many years,^’ said the girl,
Lan-O; ‘‘but never have I seen even The Great
Jed bring so many fighting men into the city of
Manator.’*

Through half-closed eyes Tara of Helium watched
the warriors marching up the broad avenue, trying
to imagine them the fighting men of her beloved
Helium coming to the rescue of their princess. That
splendid figure upon the great thoat might be John
Carter, himself. Warlord of Barsoom, and behind
him utan after utan of the veterans of the empire,
and then the girl opened her eyes again and saw
the host of painted, befeathered barbarians, and
sighed. But yet she watched, fascinated by the
martial scene, and now she noted again the groups
of silent figures upon the balconies. No waving
silks; no cries of welcome; no showers of flowers
and jewels such as would have marked the entry

222 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

of such a splendid, friendly pageant into the twin
cities of her birth.

“The people do not seem friendly to the war-
riors of Manatos,” she remarked to Lan-O; “I
have not seen a single welcoming sign from the
people on the balconies.”

The slave girl looked at her in surprise. “It
cannot be that you do not know!” she exclaimed.
“Why, they are — ” but she got no further. The
door swung open and an officer stood before them.

“The slave girl, Tara, is summoned to the pres-
ence of 0-Tar, the jeddak!” he announced.

CHAPTER XIV

AT GHEK's command

TURAN the panthan chafed in his chains. Time'
dragged; silence and monotony prolonged
minutes into hours. Uncertainty of the fate of
the woman he loved turned each hour into an
eternity of hell. He listened impatiently for the
sound of approaching footsteps that he might see
and speak to some living creature and learn, per-
chance, some word of Tara of Helium. After tor-
turing hours his ears were rewarded by the rattle
of harness and arms. Men were coming! He
waited breathlessly. Perhaps they were his exe-
cutioners; but he would welcome them notwith-
standing. He would question them. But if they
knew naught of Tara he would not divulge the loca-
tion of the hiding place in which he had left her.

Now they came — a half-dozen warriors and an
officer, escorting an unarmed man; a prisoner,
doubtless. Of this Turan was not left long in
doubt, since they brought the newcomer and chained
him to an adjoining ring. Immediately the panthan
commenced to question the officer in charge of the
guard.

‘‘ Tell me,” he demanded, ‘‘ why I have been made
223

224 the chessmen of mars

prisoner, and if other strangers were captured since
I entered your city.’’

‘‘What other prisoners?” asked the officer.

“A woman, and a man with a strange head,”
replied Turan.

“It is possible,” said the officer; “but what were
their names?”

“The woman was Tara, Princess of Helium, and
the man was Ghek, a kaldane, of Bantoom.”

“These were your friends?” asked the officer.

“Yes,” replied Turan.

“ It is what I would know,” said the officer, and
with a curt command to his men to follow him
he turned and left the cell.

“Tell me of them!” cried Turan after him.
“Tell me of Tara of Helium! Is she safe?” but
the man did not answer and soon the sound of
their departure died in the distance.

“Tara of Helium was safe but a short time
since,” said the prisoner chained at Turan’s side.

The panthan turned toward the speaker, seeing
a large man, handsome of face and with a man-
ner both stately and dignified. “You have seen
her?” he asked. “They captured her then? She
is in danger?”

“She is being held in The Towers of Jetan as
a prize for the next games,” replied the stranger.

“And who are you?” asked Turan. “And why
are you here, a prisoner?”

Gahan of Gathol smote the man from his mount

1

AT GHEK^S COMMAND

225

‘‘I am A-Kor the dwar, keeper of The Towers
of Jetan,” replied the other. ‘‘I am here because
I dared speak the truth of 0-Tar the jeddak, to
one of his officers.”

“And your punishment?” asked Turan.

“I do not know. 0-Tar has not yet spoken.
Doubtless the games — perhaps the full ten, for
O-Tar does not love A-Kor, his son.”

“You are the jeddak’s son,” asked Turan.

“I am the son of O-Tar and of a slave, Haja
of Gatlrol, who was a princess in her own land.”

Turan looked searchingly at the speaker. A son
of Haja of Gathol! A son of his mother’s sister,
this man, then, was his own cousin. Well did
Gahan remember the mysterious disappearance of
the Princess Haja and an entire utan of her per-
sonal troops. She had been upon a visit far from
the city of Gathol and returning home had van-
ished with her whole escort from the sight of man.
So this was the secret of the seeming mystery?
Doubtless it explained many other similar disap-
pearances that extended nearly as far back as the
history of Gathol. Turan scrutinized his com-
panion, discovering many evidences of resemblance
to his mother’s people. A-Kor might have been
ten years younger than he, but such differences in
age are scarce accounted among a people who
seldom or never age outwardly after maturity and
whose span of life may be a thousand years.

226 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

“And where lies Gathol?’’ asked Turan.

“Almost due east of Manator/' replied A-Kor.

“And how far?’’

“ Some twenty-one degrees it is from the city of
Manator to the city of Gathol,” replied A-Kor;
“ but little more than ten degrees between the boun-
daries of the two countries. Between them, though,
there lies a country of torn rocks and yawning
chasms.”

Well did Gahan know this country that bordered
his upon the west — even the ships of the air
avoided it because of the treacherous currents that
rose from the deep chasms, and the almost total
absence of safe landings. He knew now where
Manator lay and for the first time in long weeks
the way to his own Gathol, and here was a man, a
fellow prisoner, in whose veins flowed the blood
of his own ancestors — a man who knew Manator;
its people, its customs and the country surrounding
it — one who could aid him, with advice at least,
to find a plan for the rescue of Tara of Helium
and for escape. But would A-Kor — could he dare
broach the subject? He could do no less than try.

“And O-Tar you think will sentence you to
death?” he asked; “and why?”

“ He would like to,” replied A-Kor, “ for the peo-
ple chafe beneath his iron hand and their loyalty
is but the loyalty of a people to the long line of
illustrious jeddaks from which he has sprung. He

AT GHEK'S COMMAND

227

is a: jealous man and has found the means of dis-
posing of most of those whose blood might entitle
them to a claim upon the throne, and whose place
in the affections of the people endowed them with
any political significance. The fact that I was the
son of a slave relegated me to a position of minor
importance in the consideration of O-Tar, yet I
am still the son of a jeddak and might sit upon the
throne of Manator with as perfect congruity as
O-Tar himself. Combined with this is the fact that
of recent years the people, and especially many of
the younger warriors, have evinced a growing
affection for me, which I attribute to certain vir-
tues of character and training derived from my
mother, but which O-Tar assumes to be the result
of an ambition upon my part to occupy the throng
of Manator.

‘‘And now, I am firmly convinced, he has seized
upon my criticism of his treatment of the slave girl
Tara as a pretext for ridding himself of me.”

“But if you could escape and reach Gathol,”
suggested Turan.

“I have thought of that,” mused A-Kor; “but
how much better off would I be? In the eyes of
the Gatholians I would be, not a Gatholian; but a!
stranger and doubtless they would accord me the
same treatment that we of Manator accord
strangers.”

“Could you convince them that you are the son

228 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

of the Princess Haja your welcome would be as-
sured,’’ said Turan; ‘‘while on the other hand you
could purchase your freedom and citizenship with
a brief period of labor in the diamond mines.”

“ How know you all these things ? ” asked A-Kor.
“I thought you were from Helium.”

“I am a panthan,” replied Turan, “and I have
served many countries, among them Gathol.”

“It is what the slaves from Gathol have told
me,” said A-Kor, thoughtfully, “and my mother,
before 0-Tar sent her to live at Manatos. I think
he must have feared her power and influence among
the slaves from Gathol and their descendants, who
number perhaps a million people throughout the
land of Manator.”

“Are these slaves organized?” asked Turan.

A-Kor looked straight into the eyes of the panthan
for a long moment before he replied. “You are a
man of honor,” he said; “I read it in your face,
and I am seldom mistaken in my estimate of a man;
but — ” and he leaned closer to the other — “even
the walls have ears,” he whispered, and Turan’s
^question was answered.

It was later in the evening that warriors came
and unlocked the fetter from Turan’s ankle and led
him away to appear before O-Tar, the jeddak.
They conducted him toward the palace along nar-
row, winding streets and broad avenues ; but always
froni the balconies there looked down upon them

AT GHEK^S COMMAND

22^.

in endless ranks the silent people of the city. Thc'
palace itself was filled with life and activity.
Mounted warriors galloped through the corridors'
and up and down the runways connecting adjacent
floors. It seemed that no one walked within the*
palace other than a few slaves. Squealing, fighting
thoats were stabled in magnificent halls while their
riders, if not upon some duty of the palace, played'
at jetan with small figures carved from wood.

Turan noted the magnificence of the interior
architecture of the palace, the lavish expenditure
of precious jewels and metals, the gorgeous muraL
decorations which depicted almost exclusively mar-
tial scenes, and principally duels which seemed to
be fought upon jetan boards of heroic size. The
capitals of many of the columns supporting the'
ceilings of the corridors and chambers through'
which they passed were wrought into formal like-
nesses of jetan pieces — everywhere there seemed"'
a suggestion of the game. Along the same path
that Tara of Helium had been led Turan was con-
ducted toward the throne room of 0-Tar the jed-
dak, and when he entered the Hall of Chiefs his
interest turned to wonder and admiration as he
viewed the ranks of statuesque thoatmen decked in
their gorgeous, martial panoply. Never, he thought,
had he seen upon Barsoom more soldierly figures
or thoats so perfectly trained to perfection of im-
mobility as these. Not a muscle quivered, not a;.

1230 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

tail lashed, and the riders were as motionless as
their mounts — each warlike eye straight to the
front, the great spears inclined at the same angle.
It was a picture to fill the breast of a fighting man
with awe and reverence. Nor did it fail in its
effect upon Turan as they conducted him the length
of the chamber, where he waited before great doors
until he should be summoned into the presence of
the ruler of Manator.

When Tara of Helium was ushered into the
throne room of 0-Tar she found the great hall
filled with the chiefs and officers of O-Tar and
U-Thor, the latter occupying the place of honor
at the foot of the throne, as was his due. The
girl was conducted to the foot of the aisle and
halted before the jeddak, who looked down upon
her from his high throne with scowling brows and
fierce, cruel eyes.

‘‘The laws of Manator are just,” said O-Tar,
addressing her ; “ thus is it that you have been sum-
moned here again to be judged by the highest
authority of Manator. Word has reached me that
you are suspected of being a Corphal. What word
have you to say in refutation of the charge?”

Tara of Helium could scarce restrain a sneer as
she answered the ridiculous accusation of witch-
craft. “So ancient is the culture of my people,”
she said, “ that authentic history reveals no defense

"AT GHEK^S COMMAND

231

for that which we know existed only in the ignorant
and superstitious minds of the most primitive peo-
ples of the past. To those who are yet so untutored
as to believe in the existence of Corphals, there can
be no argument that will convince them of their
error — only long ages of refinement and culture
can accomplish their release from the bondage of
ignorance. I have spoken.’’

‘^Yet you do not deny the accusation,” said
O-Tar.

It is not worthy the dignity of a denial,” she
responded haughtily.

‘‘And I were you, woman,” said a deep voice
at her side, “I should, nevertheless, deny it.”

Tara of Helium turned to see the eyes of U-Thor,
the great jed of Manatos, upon her. Brave eyes
they were, but neither cold nor cruel. O-Tar
rapped impatiently upon the arm of his throne.
“U-Thor forgets,” he cried, “that O-Tar is the
jeddak.”

“U-Thor remembers,” replied the jed of Mana-
tos, “that the laws of Manator permit any who
may be accused to have advice and counsel before
their judge.”

Tara of Helium saw that for some reason this
man would have assisted her, and so she acted upon
his advice.

“ I deny the charge,” she said, “ I am no Corphal.”

“ Of that we shall learn,” snapped O-Tar.

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

232

^‘U-Dor, where are those who have knowledge of
the powers of this woman?”

And U-Dor brought several who recounted the
little that was known of the disappearance of E-Med,
and others who told of the capture of Ghek and
Tara, suggesting by deduction that having been
found together they had sufficient in common to
make it reasonably certain that one was as bad as
the other, and that, therefore, it remained but to
convict one of them of Corphalism to make cer-
tain the guilt of both. And then O-Tar called
for Ghek, and immediately the hideous kaldane was
dragged before him by warriors who could not con-
ceal the fear in which they held this creature.

“And you!” said O-Tar in cold accusing tones.
“Already have I been told enough of you to war-
rant me in passing through your heart the jeddak’s
steel — of how you stole the brains from the war-
rior U-Van so that he thought he saw your head-
less body still endowed with life ; of how you caused
another to believe that you had escaped, making
him to see naught but an empty bench and a blank
w^all where you had been.”

“Ah, O-Tar, but that is as nothing!” cried a
young pad war who had come in command of the
escort that brought Ghek. “The thing which he
did to I-Zav, here, would prove his guilt alone.”

“ What did he to the warrior I-Zav ? ” demanded
O-Tar. “Let I-Zav speak!”

AT GHEK^S COMMAND

233:

The warrior I-Zav, a great fellow of bulging
muscles and thick neck, advanced to the foot of the
throne. He was pale and still trembling visibly as
from a nervous shock.

‘‘Let my first ancestor be my witness, 0-Tar,
that I speak the truth,” he began. “I was left to
guard this creature, who sat upon a bench, shackled
to the wall. I stood by the open doorway at the
opposite side of the chamber. He could not reach
me, yet, O-Tar, may Iss engulf me if he did not
drag me to him helpless as an unhatched egg. He
dragged me to him, greatest of jeddaks, with his
eyes! With his eyes he seized upon my eyes and
dragged me to him and he made me lay my swords
and dagger upon the table and back off into a cor-
ner, and still keeping his eyes upon my eyes his
head quitted his body and crawling upon six short
legs it descended to the floor and backed part way
into the hole of an ulsio, but not so far that the
eyes were not still upon me and then it returned
with the key to its fetter and after resuming its
place upon its own shoulders it unlocked the fetter
and again dragged me across the room and made
me to sit upon the bench where it had been and
there it fastened the fetter about my ankle, and I
could do naught for the power of its eyes and the
fact that it wore my two swords and my dagger.
And then the head disappeared down the hole of
the ulsio with the key, and when it returned, it

254 the chessmen OF MARS

resumed its body and stood guard over me at the
doorway until the pad war came to fetch it hither/"

‘‘It is enough!"" said O-Tar, sternly. “Both
shall receive the jeddak’s steel,"" and rising from
his throne he drew his long sword and descended
the marble steps toward them, while two brawny
warriors seized Tara by either arm and two seized
Ghek, holding them facing the naked blade of the
jeddak.

“Hold, just O-Tar!"" cried U-Dor. “There be
yet another to be judged. Let us confront him
who calls himself Turan with these his fellows
before they die."’

“Good!"" exclaimed O-Tar, pausing half way
down the steps. “Fetch Turan, the slave!""

When Turan had been bro^ ght into the cham-
ber he was placed a little tc rara"s left and a step
nearer the throne. O-Tar eyed him menacingly.

“You are Turan,"" he asked, “friend and com-
panion of these?""

The panthan was about to reply when Tara of
Helium spoke. “I know not this fellow,"" she said.
“ Who dares say that he be a friend and companion
of the Princess Tara of Helium?""

Turan and Ghek looked at her in surprise, but
at Turan she did not look, and to Ghek she passed
ia quick glance of warning, as to say: “Hold thy
peace ! ”

The panthan tried not to fathom her purpose for

AT GHEK^S COMMAND

235

the head is useless when the heart usurps its func-
tions, and Turan knew only that the woman he
loved had denied him, and though he tried not even
to think it his foolish heart urged but a single ex-
planation— that she refused to recognize him lest
she be involved in his difficulties.

O-Tar looked first at one and then at another
of them; but none of them spoke.

‘‘Were they not captured together?” he asked
of U-Dor.

“No,” replied the dwar. “He who is called
Turan was found seeking entrance to the city and
was enticed to the pits. The following morning I
discovered the other two upon the hill beyond The
Gate of Enennes.”

“But they are friends and companions,” said a
young padwar, “ for this Turan inquired of me con-
cerning these two, calling them by name and saying
that they were his friends.”

“It is enough,” stated O-Tar, “all three shall
die,” and he took another step downward from the
throne.

“For what shall we die?” asked Ghek. “Your
people prate of the just laws of Manator, and yet
you would slay three strangers without telling them
of what crime they are accused.”

“He is right,” said a deep voice. It was the
voice of U-Thor, the great jed of Manatos. O-Tar
looked at him and scow'led; but there came voices

236 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

from other portions of the chamber seconding the
'demand for justice.

“ Then know, though you shall die anyway,'' cried
O-Tar, “ that all three are convicted of Corphalism
and that as only a jeddak may slay such as you in
safety you are about to be honored with the steel
t)f 0-Tar."

‘"Fool!" cried Turan. ‘‘Know you not that in
the veins of this woman flows the blood of ten thou-
sand jeddaks — that greater than yours is her power
in her own land? She is Tara, Princess of Helium,
:great-granddaughter of Tardos Mors, daughter of
John Carter, Warlord of Barsoom. She cannot be
a Corphal. Nor is this creature Ghek, nor am I.
And you would know more, I can prove my right
to be heard and to be believed if I may have word
with the Princess Haja of Gathol, whose son is my
fellow prisoner in the pits of 0-Tar, his father."

At this U-Thor rose to his feet and faced 0-Tar.
41 What means this ? " he asked. “ Speaks the man
the truth? Is the son of Haja a prisoner in thy
pits, O-Tar?"

“And what is it to the jed of Manatos who be the
prisoners in the pits of his jeddak?" demanded
O-Tar, angrily.

“ It is this to the jed of Manatos," replied U-Thor
in a voice so low as to be scarce more than a whisper
and yet that was heard the whole length and breadth
of the great throne room of O-Tar, Jeddak of Man-

AT GHEK'S COMMAND

237

ator. ‘‘You gave me a slave woman, Haja, who
had been a princess in Gathol, because you feared
her influence among the slaves from Gathol. I have
made of her a free woman, and I have married her
and made her thus a princess of Manatos. Her son
is my son, O-Tar, and though thou be my jeddak,
I say to you that for any harm that befalls A-Kor
you shall answer to U-Thor of Manatos.”

O-Tar looked long at U-Thor, but he made no
reply. Then he turned again to Turan. “If one
be a Corphal,” he said, “ then all of you be Corphals,
and we know well from the things that this creature
has done,” he pointed at Ghek, “ that he is a Corphal,
for no mortal has such powers as he. And as you
are all Corphals you must all die.” He took another
step downward, when Ghek spoke.

“These two have no such powers as I,” he said.
“They are but ordinary, brainless things such as
yourself. I have done all the things that your poor,
ignorant warriors have told you ; but this only dem-
onstrates that I am of a higher order than your-
selves, as is indeed the fact. I am a kaldane, not a
Corphal. There is nothing supernatural or mys-
terious about me, other than that to the ignorant all
things which they cannot understand are mysterious.
Easily might I have eluded your warriors and es-
caped your pits; but I remained in the hope that I
might help these two foolish creatures who have not
the brains to escape without help. They befriended

238 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

me and saved my life. I owe them this debt. Do
not slay them — they are harmless. Slay me if you
will. I offer my life if it will appease your ignorant
wrath. I cannot return to Bantoom and so I might
as well die, for there is no pleasure in intercourse
with the feeble intellects that cumber the face of
the world outside the valley of Bantoom.”

“Hideous egotist,” said O-Tar, “prepare to die
and assume not to dictate to O-Tar the jeddak. He
has passed sentence and all three of you shall feel
the jeddak’s naked steel. I have spoken!”

He took another step downward and then a
strange thing happened. He paused, his eyes fixed
upon the eyes of Ghek. His sword slipped from
nerveless fingers, and still he stood there swaying
forward and back. A jed rose to rush to his side;
but Ghek stopped him with a word.

“Wait!” he cried. “The life of your jeddak is
in my hands. You believe me a Corphal and so you
believe, too, that only the sword of a jeddak may
slay me, therefore your blades are useless against
me. Offer harm to any one of us, or seek to ap-
proach your jeddak until I have spoken, and he shall
sink lifeless to the marble. Release the two pris-
oners and let them come to my side — I would
speak to them, privately. Quick! do as I say; I
would as lief as not slay O-Tar. I but let him live
that I may gain freedom for my friends — obstruct
me and he dies.”

AT GHEK'S COMMAND

239

The guards fell back, releasing Tara and Turan,
who came close to Ghek's side.

“ Do as I tell you and do it quickly,” whispered
the kaldane. ‘‘I cannot hold this fellow long, nor
could I kill him thus. There are many minds work-
ing against mine and presently mine will tire and
O-Tar will be himself again. You must make the
best of your opportunity while you may. Behind the
arras that you see hanging in the rear of the throne
above you is a secret opening. From it a corridor
leads to the pits of the palace, where there are store-
rooms containing food and drink. Few people go
there. From these pits lead others to all parts of
the city. Follow one that runs due west and it will
bring you to The Gate of Enemies. The rest will
then lie with you. I can do no more ; hurry before
my waning powers fail me — I am not as Luud,
who was a king. He could have held this creature
forever. Make haste! Go!”

CUTTER XV

THE OLD MAN OE THE PITS

*‘T SHALL not desert you, Ghek,’’ said Tara of

X Helium, simply.

‘‘Go! Go!’’ whispered the kaldane. “You can
do me no good. Go, or all I have done is for
tiaught.”

Tara shook her head. “ I cannot,” she said.

“They will slay her,” said Ghek to Turan, and
the panthan, torn between loyalty to this strange
creature who had offered its life for him, and love
of the woman, hesitated but a moment, then he
swept Tara from her feet and lifting her in his arms
leaped up the steps that led to the throne of Mana-
tor. Behind the throne he parted the arras and
found the secret opening. Into this he bore the girl
and down a long, narrow corridor and winding run-
ways that led to lower levels until they came to the
pits of the palace of 0-Tar. Here was a labyrinth
of passages and chambers presenting a thousand hid-
ing-places.

As Turan bore Tara up the steps toward the
throne a score of warriors rose as though to rush
forward to intercept them. “Stay!” cried Ghek,
“er your jeddak dies,” and they halted in their
240

THE OLD MAN OF THE PITS 241

tracks, waiting the will of this strange, uncanny
creature.

Presently Ghek took his eyes from the eyes of
O-Tar and the jeddak shook himself as one who
would be rid of a bad dream and straightened up,
half dazed still.

“Look,” said Ghek, then, “I have given your
jeddak his life, nor have I harmed one of those
whom I might easily have slain when they were
in my power. No harm have I or my friends done
in the city of Manator. Why then should you perse-
cute us? Give us our lives. Give us our liberty.”

O-Tar, now in command of his faculties, stooped
and regained his sword. In the room was silence
as all waited to hear the jeddak’s answer.

“Just are the laws of Manator,” he said at last.
“ Perhaps, after all, there is truth in the words of
the stranger. Return him then to the pits and pur-
sue the others and capture them. Through the
mercy of O-Tar they shall be permitted to win their
freedom upon the Field of Jetan, in the coming
games.”

Still ashen was the face of the jeddak as Ghek
was led away and his appearance was that of a man
who had been snatched from the brink of eternity
into which he has gazed, not with the composure of
great courage, but with fear. There were those in
the throne room who knew that the execution of
the three prisoners had but been delayed and the re-

242 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

sponsibility placed upon the shoulders of others, and
one of those who knew was U-Thor, the great jed
of Manatos. His curling lip betokened his scorn of
the jeddak who had chosen humiliation rather than
death. He knew that 0-Tar had lost more of pres-
tige in those few moments than he could regain in
a lifetime, for the Martians are jealous of the cour-
age of their chiefs — there can be no evasions of
stern duty, no temporizing with honor. That there
were others in the room who shared U-Thor’s be-
lief was evidenced by the silence and the grim
scowls.

O-Tar glanced quickly around. He must have
sensed the hostility and guessed its cause, for he
went suddenly angry, and as one who seeks by the
vehemence of his words to establish the courage of
his heart he roared forth what could be considered
as naught other than a challenge.

“The will of O-Tar, the jeddak, is the law of
Manator,” he cried, “and the laws of Manator are
just— they cannot err. U-Dor, dispatch those who
will search the palace, the pits, and the city, and re-
turn the fugitives to their cells.

“And now for you, U-Thor of Manatos? Think
you with impunity to threaten your jeddak — to
question his right to punish traitors and instigators
of treason? What am I to think of your own
loyalty, who takes to wife a woman I have banished
from my court because of her intrigues against the

THE OLD MAN OF THE PITS 243

authority of her jeddak and her master ? But 0-Tar
is just. Make your explanations and your peace,
then, before it is too late.”

“ U-Thor has nothing to explain,” replied the jed
of Manatos; '‘nor is he at war with his jeddak; but
he has the right that every jed and every warrior
enjoys, of demanding justice at the hands of the
jeddak for whomsoever he believes to be persecuted.
With increasing rigor has the jeddak of Manator
persecuted the slaves from Gathol since he took to
himself the unwilling Princess Haja. If the slaves
from Gathol have harbored thoughts of vengeance
and escape ’tis no more than might be expected from
a proud and courageous people. Ever have I coun-
selled greater fairness in our treatment of our slaves,
many of whom, in their own lands, are people of
great distinction and power; but always has O-Tar,
the jeddak, flouted with arrogance my every sug-
gestion. Though it has been through none of my
seeking that the question has arisen now I am glad
that it has, for the time was bound to come when
the jeds of Manator would demand from O-Tar
the respect and consideration that is their due from
the man who holds his high office at their pleasure.
Know, then, O-Tar, that you must free A-Kor, the
dwar, forthwith or bring him to fair trial before
the assembled jeds of Manator. I have spoken.”

" You have spoken well and to the point,
U-Thor,” cried O-Tar, " for you have revealed to

244 the chessmen OF MARS

your jeddak and your fellow jeds the depth of the
disloyalty that I have long suspected. A-Kor
already has been tried and sentenced by the supreme
tribunal of Manator — 0-Tar, the jeddak; and you
too shall receive justice from the same unfailing
source. In the meantime you are under arrest. To
the pits with him! To the pits with U-Thor the
false jed!” He clapped his hands to summon the
surrounding warriors to do his bidding. A score
leaped forward to seize U-Thor. They were war-
riors of the palace, mostly; but two score leaped
to defend U-Thor, and with ringing steel they
fought at the foot of the steps to the throne of
Manator where stood 0-Tar, the jeddak, with drawn
sword ready to take his part in the melee.

At the clash of steel, palace guards rushed to
the scene from other parts of the great building
until those who would have defended U-Thor were
outnumbered two to one, and then the jed of Man-
atos slowly withdrew with his forces, and fighting
his way through the corridors and chambers of the
palace came at last to the avenue. Here he was
reinforced by the little army that had marched with
him into Manator. Slowly they retreated toward
The Gate of Enemies between the rows of silent
people looking down upon them from the balconies
and there, within the city walls, they made their
stand.

In a dimly-lighted chamber beneath the palace of

THE OLD M'AN OF THE PITS 245

O-Tar the jeddak, Turan the panthan lowered Tara
of Helium from his arms and faced her. am
sorry. Princess,’’ he said, “that I was forced to
disobey your commands, or to abandon Ghek; but
there was no other way. Could he have saved you
I would have stayed in his place. Tell me that you
forgive me.”

“How could I do less?” she replied graciously.
“ But it seemed cowardly to abandon a friend.”

“Had we been three fighting men it had been
different,” he said. “We could only have remained
and died together, fighting; but you know, Tara of
Helium, that we may not jeopardize a woman’s
safety even though we risk the loss of honor.”

“I know that, Turan,” she said; “but no one
may say that you have risked honor, who knows
the honor and bravery that are yours.”

He heard her with surprise for these were the
first words that she had spoken to him that did
not savor of the attitude of a princess to a
panthan — though it was more in her tone than the
actual words that he apprehended the difference.
How at variance were they to her recent repudiation
of him ! He could not fathom her, and so he blurted
out the question that had been in his mind since she
had told O-Tar that she ^id not know him.

“ Tara of Helium,” he said, “ your words are balm
to the wound you gave me in the throne room of
O-Tar. Tell me, Princess, why you denied me.”

246 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

She turned her great, deep eyes up to his and in
them was a little of reproach.

‘‘You did not guess,’’ she asked, “that it was my
lips alone and not my heart that denied you ? O-Tar
had ordered that I die, more because I was a com-
panion of Ghek than because of any evidence
against me, and so I knew that if I acknowledged
you as one of us, you would be slain, too.”

“It was to save me, then?” he cried, his face
suddenly lighting.

“ It was to save my brave panthan,” she said in
a low voice.

“ Tara of Helium,” said the warrior, dropping to
one knee, “your words are as food to my hungry
heart,” and he took her fingers in his and pressed
them to his lips.

Gently she raised him to his feet. “You need
not tell me, kneeling,” she said, softly.

Her hand was still in his as he rose and they
were very close, and the man was still flushed with
the contact of her body since he had carried her
from the throne room of O-Tar. He felt his heart
pounding in his breast and the hot blood surging
through his veins as he looked at her beautiful face,
with its downcast eyes and the half-parted lips that
he would have given a kingdom to possess, and then
he swept her to him and as he crushed her against
his breast his lips smothered hers with kisses.

But only for an instant. Like a tigress the girl

THE OLD MAN OF THE PITS 247

turned upon him, striking him, and thrusting him
away. She stepped back, her head high and her
eyes flashing fire. “You would dare?” she cried.
“ You would dare thus defile a princess of Helium? ”

His eyes met hers squarely and there was no
shame and no remorse in them.

“Yes, I would dare,” he said. “I would dare
love Tara of Helium; but I would not dare defile
her or any woman with kisses that were not
prompted by love of her alone.” He stepped closer
to her and laid his hands upon her shoulders.
“Look into my eyes, daughter of The Warlord,”
he said, “ and tell me that you do not wish the love
of Turan, the panthan.”

“I do not wish your love,” she cried, pulling
away. “I hate you!” and then turning away she
bent her head into the hollow ©f her arm, and wept.

The man took a step toward her as though to
comfort her when he was arrested by the soimd of
a cackling laugh behind him. Wheeling about, he
discovered a strange figure of a man standing in a
doorway. It was one of those rarities occasionally
to be seen upon Barsoom — an old man with the
signs of age upon him. Bent and wrinkled, he had
more the appearance of a mummy than a man.

“ Love in the pits of 0-Tar ! ” he cried, and again
his thin laughter jarred upon the silence of the sub-
terranean vaults. ‘‘A strange place to woo! A
strange place to woo, indeed ! When I was a young

24S THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

man we roamed in the gardens beneath giant
pimalias and stole our kisses in the brief shadows of
hurtling Thuria. We came not to the gloomy pits
to speak of love ; but times have changed and ways
have changed, though I had never thought to live
to see the time when the way of a man with a
maid, or a maid with a man would change. Ah,
but we kissed them then! And what if they ob-
jected, eh? What if they objected? Why, we
kissed them more. Ey, ey, those were the days!’’
and he cackled again. “Ey, well do I recall the
first of them I ever kissed, and I’ve kissed an army
of them since; she was a fine girl, but she tried to
slip a dagger into me while I was kissing her. Ey,
ey, those were the days! But I kissed her. She’s
been dead over a thousand years now, but she was
never kissed again like that while she lived, I’ll
swear, nor since she’s been dead, either. And then
there was that other — ” but Turan, seeing a thou-
sand or more years of osculatory memoirs portend-
ing, interrupted.

‘‘Tell me, ancient one,” he said, “not of thy
loves but of thyself. Who are you? What do you
here in the pits of 0-Tar?”

“ I might ask you the same, young man,” replied
the other. “ Few there are who visit the pits other
than the dead, except my pupils — ey! That is
it — you are new pupils ! Good ! But never before
have they sent a woman to learn the great art from

THE OLD MAN OF THE PITS 249

the greatest artist. But times have changed. Now,
in my day the women did no work — they were just
for kissing and loving. Ey, those were the women.
I mind the one we captured in the south — ey! she
was a devil, but how she could love. She had
breasts of marble and a heart of fire. Why, she ”

‘‘Yes, yes,” interrupted Turan; “we are pupils,
and we are anxious to get to work. Lead on and
we will follow.”

“Ey, yes ! Ey, yes ! Come ! All is rush and hurry
as though there were not another countless myriad,
of ages ahead. Ey, yes! as many as lie behind.
Two thousand years have passed since I broke my
shell and always rush, rush, rush, yet I can-
not see that aught has been accomplished. Manator
is the same today as it was then — except the girls.
We had the girls then. There was one that I gained
upon The Fields of Jetan. Ey, but you should have

“ Lead on ! ” cried Turan. “After we are at work
you shall tell us of her.”

“Ey, yes,” said the old fellow and shuffled off
down a dimly lighted passage. “Follow me!”

“You are going with him?” asked Tara.

“Why not?” replied Turan. “We know not
where we are, or the way from these pits; for I
know not east from west; but he doubtless knows
and if we are shrewd we may learn from him that
which we would know. At least we cannot afford

250 the chessmen OF MARS

to arouse his suspicions”; and so they followed
him — followed along winding corridors and
through many chambers, until they came at last
to a room in which there were several marble slabs
raised upon pedestals some three feet above the floor
and upon each slab lay a human corpse.

‘‘Here we are,” exclaimed the old man. “These
are fresh and we shall have to get to work upon
them soon. I am working now on one for The Gate
of Enemies. He slew many of our warriors. Truly
is he entitled to a place in The Gate. Come, you
shall see him.”

He led them to an adjoining apartment. Upon
the floor were many fresh, human bones and upon
a marble slab a mass of shapeless flesh.

“You will learn this later,” announced the old
man; “but it will not harm you to watch me now,
for there are not many thus prepared, and it may
be long before you will have the opportunity to see
another prepared for The Gate of Enemies. First,
you see, I remove all the bones, carefully that the
skin may be damaged as little as possible. The skull
is the most difficult, but it can be removed by a
skilful artist. You see, I have made but a single
opening. This I now sew up, and that done, the
body is hung so,” and he fastened a piece of rope
to the hair of the corpse and swung the horrid
thing to a ring in the ceiling. Directly below it was
a circular manhole in the floor from which he re-

THE OLD MAN OF THE PITS 251

moved the cover revealing a well partially filled with
a reddieh liquid. ‘^Now we lower it into this, the
formula for which you shall learn in due time. We
fasten it thus to the bottom of the cover, which we
now replace. In a year it will be ready ; but it must
be examined often in the meantime and the liquid
kept above the level of its crown. It will be a very
beautiful piece, this one, when it is ready.

‘‘And you are fortunate again, for there is one to
come out today.” He crossed to the opposite side of
the room and raised another cover, reached in and
dragged a grotesque looking figure from the hole.
It was a human body, shrunk by the action of the
chemical in which it had been immersed, to a little
figure scarce a foot high.

“Ey! is it not fine?” cried the little old man.
“Tomorrow it will take its place in The Gate of
Enemies.” He dried it off with cloths and packed
it away carefully in a basket. “ Perhaps you would
like to see some of my life work,” he suggested, and
without waiting for their assent led them to another
apartment, a large chamber in which were forty or
fifty people. All were sitting or standing quietly
about the walls, with the exception of one huge
warrior who bestrode a great thoat in the very
center of the room, and all were motionless. In-
stantly there sprang to the minds of Tara and Turan
the rows of silent people upon the balconies that
lined the avenues of the city, and the noble array

2S2 the chessmen of mars

of mounted warriors in The Hall of Chiefs, and
the same explanation came to both but neither dared
voice the question that was in his mind, for fear of
revealing by his ignorance the fact that they were
strangers in Manator and therefore impostors in
the guise of pupils.

''It is very wonderful,” said Turan. "It must
require great skill and patience and time.”

"That it does,” replied the old man, "though
having done it so long I am quicker than most; but
mine are the most natural. Why, I would defy the
wife of that warrior to say that insofar as appear-
ances are concerned he does not live,” and he pointed
at the man upon the thoat. "Many of them, of
course, are brought here wasted or badly wounded
and these I have to repair. That is where great
skill is required, for everyone wants his dead to
look as they did at their best in life ; but you shall
learn — to mount them and paint them and repair
them and sometimes to make an ugly one look beau-
tiful. And it will be a great comfort to be able to
mount your own. Why, for fifteen hundred years
no one has mounted my own dead but myself.

"I have many, my balconies are crowded with
them; but I keep a great room for my wives. I
have them all, as far back as the first one, and many
is the evening I spend with them — quiet evenings
and very pleasant. And then the pleasure of pre-
paring them and making them even more beautiful

THE OLD MAN OF THE PITS 253

than in life partially recompenses one for their loss.
I take my time with them, looking for a new one
while I am working on the old. When I am not
sure about a new one I bring her 10 tne chamber
where my wives are, and compare her charms with
theirs, and there is always a great satisfaction at
such times in knowing that they will not object. I
love harmony.”

‘‘Did you prepare all the warriors in The Hall
of Chiefs?” asked Turan.

“Yes, I prepare them and repair them,” replied
the old man. “O-Tar will trust no other. Even
now I have two in another room who were dam-
aged in some way and brought down to me. O-Tar
does not like to have them gone long, since it leaves
• wc riderless thoats in the Hall; but I shall have
them ready presently. He wants them all there in
the event any momentous question arises upon which
the living jeds cannot agree, or do not agree with
O-Tar. Such questions he carries to the jeds in
The Hall of Chiefs. There he shuts himself up
alone with the great chiefs who have attained wis-
dom through death. It is an excellent plan and
there is never any friction or misunderstandings.
O-Tar has said that it is the finest deliberative body
upon Barsoom — much more intelligent than that
composed of the living jeds. But come, we must
get to work ; come into the next chamber znd I will
begin your instruction.”

254 the chessmen OF MARS

He led the way into the chamber in which lay the
several corpses upon their marble slabs, and going
to a cabinet he donned a pair of huge spectacles and
commenced to select various tools from little com-
partments. This done he turned again toward his
two pupils.

“ Now let me have a look at you,” he said. “ My
eyes are not what they once were, and I need these
powerful lenses for my work, or to see distinctly
the features of those around me.”

He turned his eyes upon the two before him.
Turan held his breath for he knew that now the
man must discover that they wore not the harness
or insignia of Manator. He had wondered before
why the old fellow had not noticed it, for he had
not known that he was half blind. The other ex-
amined their faces, his eyes lingering long upon the
beauty of Tara of Helium, and then they drifted
to the harness of the two. Turan thought that he
noted an appreciable start of surprise on the part
of tlic taxidermist, but if the old man noticed any-
thing his next words did not reveal it.

‘‘Come with I-Gos,” he said to Turan, “I have
materials in the next room that I would have you
fetch hither. Remain here, woman, we shall be
gone but a moment.”

He led the way to one of the numerous doors
opening into the chamber and entered ahead of
Turan. Just inside the door he stopped, and point-

THE OLD MAN OF THE PITS 255

ing to a bundle of silks and furs upon the opposite
side of the room directed Turan to fetch them. The
latter had crossed the room and was stooping to
raise the bundle when he heard the click of a lock
behind him. Wheeling instantly he saw that he was
alone in the room and that the single door was
closed. Running rapidly to it he strove to open it,
only to find that he was a prisoner.

I“Gos, stepping out and locking the door behind
him, turned toward Tara.

“Your leather betrayed you,’' he said, laughing
his cackling laugh. “You sought to deceive old
I-Gos, but you found that though his eyes are weak
his brain is not. But it shall not go ill with you.
You are beautiful and I-Gos loves beautiful women.
I might not have you elsewhere in Manator, but here
there is none to deny old I-Gos. Few come to the
pits of the dead — only those who bring the dead
and they hasten away as fast as they can. No one
will know that I-Gos has a beautiful woman locked
with his dead. I shall ask you no questions and
then I will not have to give you up, for I will not
know to whom you belong, eh ? And when you die
I shall mount you beautifully and place you in the
chamber with my other women. Will not that be
fine, eh ? ” He had approached until he stood close
beside the horrified girl. “ Come ! ” he cried, seizing
her by the wrist. “ Come to I-Gos ! ”

CHAPTER XVI

ANOTHER CHANGE OE NAME

TURAN dashed himself against the door of hi,
prison in a vain effort to break through the
solid skeel to the side of Tara whom he knew to
be in grave danger, but the heavy panels held and
he succeeded only in bruising his shoulders and his
arms. At last he desisted and set about searching
his prison for some other means of escape. He
found no other opening in the stone walls, but his
search revealed a heterogeneous collection of odds
and ends of arms and apparel, of harness and orna-
ments and insignia, and sleeping silks and furs in
great quantities. There were swords and spears and
several large, two-bladed battle-axes, the heads of
which bore a striking resemblance to the propellor
of a small flier. Seizing one of these he attacked
the door once more with great fury. He expected
to hear something from I-Gos at this ruthless de-
struction, but no sound came to him from beyond
the door, which was, he thought, too thick for the
human voice to penetrate ; but he would have
wagered much that I-Gos heard him. Bits of the
hard wood splintered at each impact of the heavy
axe, but it was slow work and heavy. Presently he
256

'ANOTHER CHANGE OF NAME 257

was compelled to rest, and so it went for what
seemed hours — working almost to the verge of ex-
haustion and then resting for a few minutes; but
ever the hole grew larger though he could see noth-
ing of the interior of the room beyond because of
the hanging that I-Gos had drawn across it after
he had locked Turan within.

At last, however, the panthan had hewn an open-
ing through which his body could pass, and seizing
a long-sword that he had brought close to the door
for the purpose he crawled through into the next
room. Flinging aside the arras he stood ready, sword
in hand, to fight his way to the side of Tara of
Helium — but she was not there. In the center of
the room lay I-Gos, dead upon the floor; but Tara
of Helium was nowhere to be seen.

Turan was nonplussed. It must have been her
hand that had struck down the old man, yet she had
made no effort to release Turan from his prison.
And then he thought of those last words of hers:
*‘I do not want your love! I hate you,’' and the
truth dawned upon him — she had seized upon this
first opportunity to escape him. With downcast
heart Turan turned away. What should he do?
There could be but one answer. While he lived and
she lived he must still leave no stone unturned to
effect her escape and safe return to the land of her
people. But how? How was he even to find his
way from this labyrinth? How was he to find her

258 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

again? He walked to the nearest doorway. It
chanced to be that which led into the room con-
taining the mounted dead, awaiting transportation
to balcony or grim room or whatever place was to
receive them. His eyes travelled to the great,
painted warrior on the thoat and as they ran over
the splendid trappings and the serviceable arms a
new light came into the pain-dulled eyes of the
panthan. With a quick step he crossed to the side
of the dead warrior and dragged him from his
mount. With equal celerity he stripped him of
his harness and his arms, and tearing off his own,
donned the regalia of the dead man. Then he
hastened back to the room in which he had been
trapped, for there he had seen that which he needed
to make his disguise complete. In a cabinet he
found them — pots of paint that the old taxidermist
had used to place the war-paint in its wide bands
across the cold faces of dead warriors.

A few moments later Gahan of Gathol emerged
from the room a warrior of Manator in every detail
of harness, equipment, and ornamentation. He had
removed from the leather of the dead man the
insignia of his house and rank so that he might
pass, with the least danger of arousing suspicion,
as a common warrior.

To search for Tara of Helium in the vast, dim
labyrinth of the pits of 0-Tar seemed to the
Gatholian a hopeless quest, foredoomed to failure.

^ANOTHER CHANGE OF NAME 259

It would be wiser to seek the streets of Manator
where he might hope to learn first if shfe had been
recaptured and, if not, then he could return to the
pits and pursue the hunt for her. To find egress
from the maze he must perforce travel a consider-
able distance through the winding corridors and
chambers, since he had no idea as to the location or
direction of any exit. In fact, he could not have
retraced his steps a hundred yards toward the point
at which he and Tara had entered the gloomy
caverns, and so he set out in the hope that he might
find by accident either Tara of Helium or a way to
the street level above.

For a time he passed room after room filled with
the cunningly preserved dead of Manator, many of
which were piled in tiers after the manner that
firewood is corded, and as he moved through corri-
dor and chamber he noticed hieroglyphics painted
upon the walls above every opening and at each fork
or crossing of corridors, until by observation he
reached the conclusion that these indicated the desig-
nations of passageways, so that one who under-
stood them might travel quickly and surely through
the pits; but Turan did not understand them. Even
could he have read the language of Manator they
might not materially have aided one unfamiliar with
the city; but he could not read them at all since,
though there is but one spoken language upon Bar-
room, there are as many different written languages

26o the chessmen OF MARS

as there are nations. One thing, however, soon
became apparent to him — the hieroglyphic of a cor-
ridor remained the same until the corridor ended.

It was not long before Turan realized from the
distance that he had traveled that the pits were part
of a vast system undermining, possibly, the entire
city. At least he was convinced that he had passed
beyond the precincts of the palace. The corridors
and chambers varied in appearance and architecture
from time to time. All were lighted, though usually
quite dimly, with radium bulbs. For a long time
he saw no signs of life other than an occasional
ulsio, then quite suddenly he came face to face with
a warrior at one of the numerous crossings. The
fellow looked at him, nodded, and passed on. Turan
breathed a sigh of relief as he realized that his dis-
guise was effective, but he was caught in the middle
of it by a hail from the warrior who had stopped
and turned toward him. The panthan was glad
that a sword hung at his side, and glad too that
they were buried in the dim recesses oi the pits and
that there would be but a single antagonist, for time
was precious.

‘‘Heard you any word of the other?” called the
warrior to him.

“No,” replied Turan, who had not the faintest
idea to whom or what the fellow referred.

“ He cannot escape,” continued the warrior.
“The woman ran directly into our arms, but she

^AN OTHER CHANGE OF NAME 261'

swore that she knew not where her companion might
be found.”

‘‘They took her back to O-Tar?” asked Turan,
for now he knew whom the other meant, and he
would know more.

“They took her back to The Towers of Jetan,’*
replied the warrior. “Tomorrow the games com-
mence and doubtless she will be played for, though
I doubt if any wants her, beautiful as she is. She
fears not even O-Tar. By Cluros! but she would
make a hard slave to subdue — a regular she-banth
she is. Not for me,” and he continued on his way
shaking his head.

Turan hurried on searching for an avenue that
led to the level of the streets above when suddenly
he came to the open doorway of a small chamber in
which sat a man who was chained to the wall.
Turan voiced a low exclamation of surprise and
pleasure as he recognized that the man was A-Kor,
and that he had stumbled by accident upon the very
cell in which he had been imprisoned. A-Kor looked
at him questioningly. It was evident that he did
not recognize his fellow prisoner. Turan crossed
to the table and leaning close to the other whispered
to him.

“I am Turan the panthan,” he said, “who was
chained beside you.”

A-Kor looked at him closely. “ Your own mother
would never know you!” he said; “but tell me.

262 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

what has transpired since they took you away?*'

Turan recounted his experiences in the throne
room of 0-Tar and in the pits beneath, “ and now,’'
he continued, ‘‘ I must find these Towers of Jeddak
and see what may be done toward liberating the
Princess of Helium.”

A-Kor shook his head. “Long was I dwar of
the Towers,” he said, “and I can say to you,
stranger, that you might as well attempt to reduce
Manator, single handed, as to rescue a prisoner
from The Towers of Jetan.”

“But I must,” replied Turan.

“Are you better than a good swordsman?” asked
A-Kor presently.

“ I am accounted so,” replied Turan.

“Then there is a way — sst!” he was suddenly
silent and pointing toward the base of the wall at
the end of the room.

Turan looked in the direction the other’s fore-
finger indicated, to see projecting from the mouth
of an ulsio’s burrow two large chelae and a pair of
protruding eyes.

“Ghek!” he cried and immediately the hideous
kaldane crawled out upon the floor and approached
the table. A-Kor drew back with a half-stifled
ejaculation of repulsion. “ Do not fear,” Turan re-
assured him. “It is my friend — he whom I told
you held 0-Tar while Tara and I escaped.”

Ghek climbed to the table top and squatted be-

ANOTHER CHANGE OF NAME 265

tween the two warriors. “You are safe in assum-
ing,” he said addressing A-Kor, “that Turan the
panthan has no master in all Manator where the
art of sword-play is concerned. I overheard your
conversation — go on.”

“You are his friend,” continued A-Kor, “and so
I may explain safely in your presence the only plan
I know whereby he may hope to rescue the Princess
of Helium. She is to be the stake of one of the
games and it is O-Tar’s desire that she be won by
slaves and common warriors, since she repulsed
him. Thus would he punish her. Not a single
man, but all who survive upon the winning side are
to possess her. With money, however, one may buy
off the others before the game. That you could do,
and if your side won and you survived she would
become your slave.”

“ But how may a stranger and a hunted fugitive
accomplish this?” asked Turan.

“No one will recognize you. You will go to-
morrow to the keeper of the Towers and enlist in
that game for which the girl is to be the stake,
telling the keeper that you are from Manataj, the
farthest city of Manator. If he questions you, you
may say that you saw her when she was brought
into the city after her capture. If you win her,
you will find thoats stabled at my palace and you
will carry from me a token that will place all that
is mine at your disposal,”

264 the chessmen OF MARS

‘‘But how can I buy off the others in the game
without money?’' asked Turan. “I have none —
not even of my own country.”

A-Kor opened his pocket-pouch and drew forth
a packet of Manatorian money.

“Here is sufficient to buy them off twice over,’^
he said, handing a portion of it to Turan.

“ But why do you do this for a stranger?” asked
the panthan.

“My mother was a captive princess here,” re-
plied A-Kor. “ I but do for the Princess of Helium
what my mother would have me do.”

“Under the circumstances, then, Manatorian,”
replied Turan, “I cannot but accept your generosity
on behalf of Tara of Helium and live in hope that
some day I may do for you something in return.”

“ Now you must be gone,” advised A-Kor. “At
any minute a guard may come and discover you
here. Go directly to the Avenue of Gates, which
circles the city just within the outer wall. There
you will find many places devoted to the lodging
of strangers. You will know them by the thoat’s
head carved above the doors. Say that you are here
from Manataj to witness the games. Take the name
of U-Kal — it will arouse no suspicion, nor will
you if you can avoid conversation. Early in the
morning seek the keeper of The Towers of Jetan.
May the strength and fortune of all your ancestors
be with you ! ”

:another change of name 265

Bidding good-bye to Ghek and A-Kor, the
panthan, following directions given him by A-Kor,
set out to find his way to the Avenue of Gates, nor
had he any great difficulty. On the way he met
several warriors, but beyond a nod they gave him
no heed. With ease he found a lodging place where
there were many strangers from other cities of
Manator. As he had had no sleep since the previous
night he threw himself among the silks and furs of
his couch to gain the rest which he must have, was
he to give the best possible account of himself in
the service of Tara of Helium the following day.

It was already morning when he awoke, and rising
he paid for his lodgings, sought a place to eat, and
a short time later was on his way toward The
Towers of Jetan, which he had no difficulty in find-
ing owing to the great crowds that were winding
along the avenues toward the games. The new
keeper of The Towers who had succeeded E-Med
was too busy to scrutinize entries closely, for in
addition to the many volunteer players there were
scores of slaves and prisoners being forced into the
games by their owners or the government. The
name of each must be recorded as well as the posi-
tion he was to play and the game or games in which
he was to be entered, and then there were the sub-
stitutes for each that was entered in more than a'
single game — one for each additional game that an
individual was entered for, that no succeeding game

266 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

might be delayed by the death or disablement of a
player.

‘‘Your name?*' asked a clerk as Turan presented
himself.

“ U-Kal/’ replied the panthan.

“Your city?”

“ Manataj.”

The keeper, who was standing beside the clerk,
looked at Turan. “You have come a great way
to play at jetan,” he said. “It is seldom that the
men of Manataj attend other than the decennial
games. Tell me of 0-Zar! Will he attend next
year? Ah, but he was a noble fighter. If you be
half the swordsman, U-Kal, the fame of Manataj
will increase this day. But tell me, what of
O-Zar?”

“He is well,” replied Turan, glibly, “and he sent
greetings to his friends in Manator.”

“Good!” exclaimed the keeper, “and now in
what game would you enter?”

“ I would play for the Heliumetic princess,
Tara,” replied Turan.

“But man, she is to be the stake of a game for
slaves and criminals,” cried the keeper. “You
would not volunteer for such a game 1 ”

“ But I would,” replied Turan. “ I saw her when
she was brought into the city and even then I
vowed to possess her.”

“But you will have to share her with the sur-

^ANOTHER CHANGE OF NAME 267

vivors even if your color wins,” objected the other.

“ They may be brought to reason,” insisted
Turan.

*'And you will chance incurring the wrath of
O-Tar, who has no love for this savage barbarian,”
explained the keeper.

“And I win her O-Tar will be rid of her,” said
Turan.

The keeper of The Towers of Jetan shook his
head. “You are rash,” he said. “I would that I
might dissuade the friend of my friend O-Zar from
such madness.”

“Would you favor the friend of O-Zar?” asked
Turan.

“ Gladly ! ” exclaimed the other. “ What may I
do for him ? ”

“Make me chief of the Black and give me for
my pieces all slaves from Gathol, for I understand
that these be excellent warriors,” replied the
panthan.

“It is a strange request,” said the keeper, “but
for my friend O-Zar I would do even more, though
of course — ” he hesitated — “it is customary for
one who would be chief to make some slight pay-
ment.”

“Certainly,” Turan hastened to assure him; “I
had not forgotten that. I was about to ask you
what the customary amount is.”

“For the friend of my friend it shall be nominal,”

268 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

replied the keeper, naming a figure that Gahan, ac-
customed to the high prices of wealthy Gathol,
thought ridiculously low.

‘‘Tell me,’' he said, handing the money to the
keeper, “ when the game for the Heliumite is to be
played.”

“It is the second in order of the day’s games;
and now if you will come with me you may select
your pieces.”

Turan followed the keeper to a large court which
lay between the towers and the jetan field, where
hundreds of warriors were assembled. Already
chiefs for the games of the day were selecting their
pieces and assigning them to positions, though for
the principal games these matters had been arranged
for weeks before. The keeper led Turan to a part
of the courtyard where the majority of the slaves
were assembled.

“Take your choice of those not assigned,” said
the keeper, “and when you have your quota con-
duct them to the field. Your place will be assigned
you by an officer there, and there you will Temain
with your pieces until the second game is called.
I wish you luck, U-Kal, though from what I have
heard you will be more lucky to lose than to win
the slave from Helium.”

After the fellow had departed Turan approached
the slaves. “I seek the best swordsmen for the
second game,” he announced. “ Men from Gathol I

'ANOTHER CHANGE OF NAME 269

wish, for I have heard that these be noble fighters.”

A slave rose and approached him. “ It is all the
same in which game we die,” he said. ‘‘I would
fight for you as a panthan in the second game.”

Another came. I am not from Gathol,” he said,
am from Helium, and I would fight for the
honor of a princess of Helium.”

“Good!” exclaimed Turan. “Art a swordsman
of repute in Helium?”

“I was a dwar under the great Warlord, and I
have fought at his side in a score of battles from
The Golden Cliffs to The Carrion Caves. My name
is Val Dor. Who knows Helium, knows my
prowess.”

The name was well known to Gahan, who had
heard the man spoken of on his last visit to Helium,
and his mysterious disappearance discussed as well
as his renown as a fighter.

“How could I know aught of Helium?” asked
Turan; “but if you be such a fighter as you say no
position could suit you better than that of Flier.
What say you ? ”

The man’s eyes denoted sudden surprise. He
looked keenly at Turan, his eyes running quickly
over the other’s harness. Then he stepped quite
close so that his words might not be overheard.

“ Me thinks you may know more of Helium than
of Manator,” he whispered.

“What mean you, fellow?” demanded Turan,

270 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

seeking to cudgel his brains for the source of this
man's knowledge, guess, or inspiration.

“ I mean," replied Val Dor, “ that you are not of
Manator and that if you wish to hide the fact it is
well that you speak not to a Manatorian as you
did just speak to me of — Fliers! There be no
Fliers in Manator and no piece in their game of
Jetan bearing that name. Instead they call him
who stands next to the Chief or Princess, Odwan
The piece has the same moves and power that the
Flier has in the game as played outside Manator.
Remember this then and remember, too, that if you
have a secret it be safe in the keeping of Val Dor of
Helium."

Turan made no reply but turned to the task of
selecting the remainder of his pieces. Val Dor, the
Heliumite, and Floran, the volunteer from Gathol,
were of great assistance to him, since one or the
other of them knew most of the slaves from whom
his selection was to be made. The pieces all chosen,
Turan led them to the place beside the playing field
where they were to wait their turn, and here he
passed the word around that they were to fight for
more than the stake he offered for the princess
should they win. This stake they accepted, so that
Turan was sure of possessing Tara if his side was
victorious, but he knew that these men would fight
even more valorously for chivalry than for money,
nor was it difficult to enlist the interest even of the

ANOTHER CHANGE OF NAME 271

Gatholians in the service of the princess. And now
he held out the possibility of a still further reward.

“I cannot promise you,’' he explained, ‘‘but I
may say I have heard that this day which makes
it possible that should we win this game we may
even win your freedom!”

They leaped to their feet and crowded around
him with many questions.

^‘It may not be spoken of aloud,” he said; “but
Ploran and Val Dor know and they assure me that
you may all be trusted. Listen ! What I would tell
you places my life in your hands, but you must
know that every man will realize that he is fighting
today the greatest battle of his life — for the honor
and the freedom of Barsoom’s most wondrous
princess and for his own freedom as well — for
the chance to return each to his own country and
to the woman who awaits him there.

“ First, then, is my secret. I am not of Manator.
Like yourselves I am a slave, though for the mo-
ment disguised as a Manatorian from Manataj. My
country and my identity must remain undisclosed
for reasons that have no bearing upon our game
today. I, then, am one of you. I fight for the same
things that you will fight for.

“And now for that which I have but just learned.
U-Thor, the great jed of Manatos, quarreled with
O-Tar in the palace the day before yesterday and
their warriors set upon one another. U-Thor was

272 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

driven as far as The Gate of Enemies, where he
now lies encamped. At any moment the fight may
be renewed; but it is thought that U-Thor has sent
to Manatos for reinforcements. Now, men of
Gathol, here is the thing that interests you. U-Thor
has recently taken to wife the Princess Haja of
Gathol, who was slave to 0-Tar and whose son,
A-Kor, was dwar of The Towers of Jetan. Haja’s
heart is filled with loyalty for Gathol and compas-
sion for her sons who are here enslaved, and this
latter sentiment she has to some extent transmitted
to U-Thor. Aid me, therefore, in freeing the
Princess Taia of Helium and I believe that I can
aid you and her and myself to escape the city.
Bend close your ears, slaves of O-Tar, that no cruel
enemy may hear my words,” and Gahan of Gathol
v^hispered in low tones the daring plan he had con-
ceived. “And now,” he demanded, when he had
finished, “let him who does not dare, speak now.”
None replied. “Is there none?”

“And it would not betray you should I cast my
sword at thy feet, it had been done ere this,” said
one in low tones pregnant with suppressed feeling.

“And I!” “And I!” “And I!” chorused the
others in vibrant whispers.

CHAPTER XVII

A PLAY TO THE DEATH

C LEAR and sweet a trumpet spoke across The
Fields of Jetan. From The High Tower its
cool voice floated across the city of Manator and
above the babel of human discords rising from the
crowded mass that filled the seats of the stadium
below. It called the players for the first game, and
simultaneously there fluttered to the peaks of a
thousand staffs on tower and battlement and the
great wall of the stadium the rich, gay pennons of
the fighting chiefs of Manator. Thus was marked
the opening of The Jeddak’s Games, the most im-
portant of the year and second only to the Grand
Decennial Games.

Gahan of Gathol watched every play with eagle
eye. The match was an unimportant one, being
but to settle some petty dispute between two chiefs,
and was played with professional jetan players for
points only. No one was killed and there was but
little blood spilled. It lasted about an hour and was
terminated by the chief of the losing side deliberately
permitting himself to be out-pointed, that the game
might be called a draw.

Again the trumpet sounded, this time announcing
273

274 the chessmen OF MARS

the second and last game of the afternoon. While
this was not considered an important match, those
being reserved for the fourth and fifth days of the
games, it promised to afford sufficient excitement
since it was a game to the death. The vital differ-
ence between the game played with living men and
that in which inanimate pieces are used, lies in the
fact that while in the latter the mere placing of a
piece upon a square occupied by an opponent piece
terminates the move, in the former the two pieces
thus brought together engage in a duel for posses-
sion of the square. Therefore there enters into the
former game not only the strategy of jetan but the
personal prowess and bravery of each individual
piece, so that a knowledge not only of one^s own men
but of each player upon the opposing side is of vast
value to a chief.

In this respect was Gahan handicapped, though
the loyalty of his players did much to offset his
ignorance of them, since they aided him in arrang-
ing the board to the best advantage and told him
honestly the faults and virtues of each. One fought
best in a losing game ; another was too slow ; another
too impetuous; this one had fire and a heart of steel,
but lacked endurance. Of the opponents, though,
they knew little or nothing, and now as the two
sides took their places upon the black and orange
squares of the great jetan board Gahan obtained, for
the first time, a close view of those who opposes

A PLAY TO THE DEATH

275

him. The Orange Chief had not yet entered the
field, but his men were all In place. Val Dor turned
to Gahan. “ They are all criminals from the pits
of Manator,” he said. ‘‘There is no slave among
them. We shall not have to fight against a single
fellow-countryman and every life we take will be
the life of an enemy.’’

“It is well,” replied Gahan; “but where is their
Chief, and where the two Princesses?”

“They are coming now, see?” and he pointed
across the field to where two women could be seen
approaching under guard.

As they came nearer Gahan saw that one was
indeed Tara of Helium, but the other he did not
recognize, and then they were brought to the center
of the field midway between the two sides and there
waited until the Orange Chief arrived.

Floran voiced an exclamation of surprise when
he recognized him. “By my first ancestor if it is
not one of their great chiefs,” he said, “and we were
told that slaves and criminals were to play for the
stake of this game.”

His words were interrupted by the keeper of The
Towers whose duty it was not only to announce
the games and the stakes, but to act as referee as
well.

“ Of this, the second game of the first day of the
Jeddak’s Games in the four hundred and thirty-
third year of 0-Tar, Jeddak of Manat(.)r, the

276 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Princesses of each side shall be the sole stakes and
to the survivors of the winning side shall belong
both the Princesses, to do with as they shall see
fit. The Orange Princess is the slave woman Lan-O
of Gathol; the Black Princess is the slave woman
Tara, a princess of Helium. The Black Chief is
U-Kal of Manataj, a volunteer player; the Orange
Chief is the dwar U-Dor of the 8th Utan of the
jeddak of Manator, also a volunteer player. The
squares shall be contested to the death. Just are
the laws of Manator ! I have spoken.’*

The initial move was won by U-Dor, following
which the two Chiefs escorted their respective
Princesses to the square each was to occupy. It was
the first time Gahan had been alone with Tara since
she had been brought upon the field. He saw her
scrutinizing him closely as he approached to lead her
to her place and wondered if she recognized him:
but if she did she gave no sign of it. He could not
but remember her last words — hate you!” and
her desertion of him when he had been locked in
the room beneath the palace by I-Gos, the taxider-
mist, and so he did not seek to enlighten her as to his
identity. He meant to fight for her — to die^for
her, if necessary — and if he did not die to go on
fighting to the end for her love. Gahan of Gathol
was not easily to be discouraged, but he was com-
pelled to admit that his chances of winning the love
of Tara of Helium were remote. Already had she

A PLAY TO THE DEATH

277

repulsed him twice. Once as jed of Gathol and
again as Turan the panthan. Before his love, how-
ever, came her safety and the former must be rele-
gated to the background until the latter had been
achieved.

Passing among the players already at their sta-
tions the two took their places upon their respective
squares. At Tara's left was the Black Chief, Gahan
of Gathol; directly in front of her the Princess'
Panthan, Floran of Gathol; and at her right the
Princess' Odwar, Val Dor of Helium. And each
of these knew the part that he was to play, win or
lose, as did each of the other Black players. As
Tara took her place Val Dor bowed low. ‘‘My
sword is at your feet, Tara of Helium," he said.

She turned and looked at him, an expression of
surprise and incredulity upon her face. “Val Dor,
the dwar ! " she exclaimed. “ Val Dor of Helium —
one of my father's trusted captains! Can it be
possible that my eyes speak the truth?"

“It is Val Dor, Princess," the warrior replied,
“and here to die for you if need be, as is every
wearer of the Black upon this field of jetan today.
Know Princess," he whispered, “ that upon this side
is no man of Manator, but each and every is an
enemy of Manator."

She cast a quick, meaning glance toward Gahan.
“But what of him?" she whispered, and then she
caught her breath quickly in surprise. “Shade of

278 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

the first jeddak!” she exclaimed. did but just
recognize him through his disguise.”

And you trust him ? ” asked Val Dor. ** I know
him not; but he spoke fairly, as an houorable war-
rior, and we have taken him at his word.”

‘‘You have made no mistake,” replied Tara of
Helium. “I would trust him with my life — with
my soul ; and you, too, may trust him.”

Happy indeed would have been Gahan of Gathol
could he have heard those words; but Fate, who is
usually unkind to the lover in such matters, or-
dained it otherwise, and then the game was on.

U-Dor moved his Princess' Odwar three squares
diagonally to the right, which placed the piece upon
the Black Chiefs Odwar's seventh. The move was
indicative of the game that U-Dor intended play-
ing— a game of blood, rather than of science — and
evidenced his contempt for his opponents.

Gahan followed with his Odwar's Panthan one
square straight forward, a more scientific move,
which opened up an avenue for himself through
his line of Panthans, as well as announcing to the
players and spectators that he intended having a
hand in the fighting himself even before the
exigencies of the game forced it upon him. The
move elicited a ripple of applause from those sec-
tions of seats reserved for the common warriors and
their women, showing perhaps that U-Dor was none
too popular with these, and, too, it had its effect

A PLAY TO THE DEATH

279

upon the morale of Gahan’s pieces. A Chief may,
and often does, play almost an entire game without
leaving his own square, where, mounted upon a
thoat, he may overlook the entire field and direct
each move, nor may he be reproached for lack of
courage should he elect thus to play the game since,
by the rules, were he to be slain or so badly wounded
as to be compelled to withdraw, a game that might
otherwise have been won by the science of his play
and the prowess of his men would be drawn. To
invite personal combat, therefore, denotes confidence
in his own swordsmanship, and great courage, two
attributes that were calculated to fill the Black play-
ers with hope and valor when evinced by their Chief
thus early in the game.

U-Dor’s next move placed Lan-O’s Odwar upon
Tara's Odwar's fourth — within striking distance of
the Black Princess. Another move and the game
would be lost to Gahan unless the Orange Odwar
was overthrown, or Tara moved to a position of
safety; but to move his Princess now would be to
admit his belief in the superiority of the Orange. In
the three squares allowed him he could not place
himself upon the square occupied by the Odwar of
U-Dor’s Princess. There was only one player upon
the Black side that might dispute the square
with the enemy and that was the Chiefs Odwar,
who stood upon Gahan's left. Gahan turned upon
his thoat and looked at the man. He was a splendid

28o the chessmen OF MARS

looking fellow, resplendent in the gorgeous trap-
pings of an Odwar, the five brilliant feathers which
denoted his position rising defiantly erect from his
thick, black hair. In common with every player
upon the field and every spectator in the crowded
stands he knew what was passing in his Chief’s
mind. He dared not speak, the ethics of the game
forbade it, but what his lips might not voice his eyes
expressed in martial fire, and eloquently: ‘‘The
honor of the Black and the safety of our Princess
are secure with me ! ”

Gahan hesitated no longer. “Chief’s Odwar to
Princess’ Odwar’s fourth ! ” he commanded. It was
the courageous move of a leader who had taken up
the gauntlet thrown down by his opponent.

The warrior sprang forward and leaped into the
square occupied by U-Dor’s piece. It was the first
disputed square of the game. The eyes of the
players were fastened upon the contestants, the
spectators leaned forward in their seats after the
first applause that had greeted the move, and silence
fell upon the vast assemblage. If the Black went
down to defeat, U-Dor could move his victorious
piece on to the square occupied by Tara of Helium
and the game would be over — over in four moves
and lost to Gahan of Gathol. If the Orange lost
U-Dor would have sacrificed one of his most im-
portant pieces and more than lost what advantage
the first move might have given him.

A PLAY TO THE DEATH 281

Physically the two men appeared perfectly
matched and each w^s fighting for his life, but from
the first it was apparent that the Black Odwar was
the better swordsman, and Gahan knew that he had
another and perhaps a greater advantage over his
antagonist. The latter was fighting for his life only,
without the spur of chivalry or loyalty. The Black
Odwar had these to strengthen his arm, and besides
these the knowledge of the thing that Gahan had
whispered into the ears of his players before the
game, and so he fought for what is more than life
to the man of honor.

It was a duel that held those who witnessed it
in spellbound silence. The weaving blades gleamed
in the brilliant sunlight, ringing to the parries of
cut and thrust. The barbaric harness of the duelists
lent splendid color to the savage, martial scene. The
Orange Odwar, forced upon the defensive, was
fighting madly for his life. The Black, with cool
and terrible efficiency, was forcing him steadily, step
by step, into a corner of the square — a position
from which there could be no escape. To abandon
the square was to lose it to his opponent and win
for himself ignoble and immediate death before the
jeering populace. Spurred on by the seeming hope-
lessness of his plight, the Orange Odwar burst into
a sudden fury of offense that forced the Black back
a half dozen steps, and then the sword of U-Dor's
piece leaped in and drew first blood, from the

282 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

shoulder of his merciless opponent. An illy smoth«
ered cry of encouragement went up from U-Dor’s
men; the Orange Odwar, encouraged by his single
success, sought to bear down the Black by the
rapidity of his attack. There was a moment in
which the swords moved with a rapidity that no
man’s eye might follow, and then the Black Odwar
made a lightning parry of a vicious thrust, leaned
quickly forward into the opening he had effected,
and drove his sword through the heart of the
Orange Odwar — to the hilt he drove it through the
body of the Orange Odwar.

A shout arose from the stands, for wherever may
have been the favor of the spectators, none there
was who could say that it had not been a pretty
fight, or that the better man had not won. And
from the Black players came a sigh of relief as they
relaxed from the tension of the past moments.

I shall not weary you with the details of the
game — only the high features of it are necessary
to your understanding of the outcome. The fourth
move after the victory of the Black Odwar found
Gahan upon U-Dor’s fourth; an Orange Panthan
was on the adjoining square diagonally to his right
and the only opposing piece that could engage him
other than U-Dor himself.

It had been apparent to both players and spec-
tators for the past two moves, that Gahan was
moving straight across the field into the enemy’s

A PLAY TO THE DEATH 283!

country to seek personal combat with the Orange
Chief — that he was staking all upon his belief in
the superiority of his own swordsmanship, since if
the two Chiefs engage, the outcome decides the
game. U-Dor could move out and engage Gahan,
or he could move his Princess' Panthan upon the
square occupied by Gahan in the hope that the
former would defeat the Black Chief and thus draw
the game, which is the outcome if any other than
a Chief slays the opposing Chief, or he could move
away and escape, temporarily, the necessity for per-
sonal combat, or at least that is evidently what he
had in mind as was obvious to all who saw him
scanning the board about him; and his disappoint-
ment was apparent when he finally discovered that
Gahan had so placed himself that there was no
square to which U-Dor could move that it was not
within Gahan's power to reach at his own next
move.

U-Dor had placed his own Princess four squares
east of Gahan when her position had been threat-
ened, and he had hoped to lure the Black Chief after
her and away from U-Dor; but in that he had
failed. He now discovered that he might play his
own Odwar into personal combat with Gahan; but
he had already lost one Odwar and could ill spare
the other. His position was a delicate one, since he
did not wish to engage Gahan personally, while it
appeared that there was little likelihood of his being

284 the chessmen OF MARS

able to escape. There was just one hope and that
lay in his Princess’ Panthan, so, without more delib-
eration he ordered the piece onto the square occu-
pied by the Black Chief.

The sympathies of the spectators were all with
Gahan now. If he lost, the game would be declared
a draw, nor do they think better of drawn games
upon Barsoom than do Earth men. If he won, it
would doubtless mean a duel between the two
Chiefs, a development for which they all were
hoping. The game already bade fair to be a short
one and it would be an angry crowd should it be
decided a draw with only two men slain. There
were great, historic games on record where of the
forty pieces on the field when the game opened only
three survived — the two Princesses and the victo-
rious Chief.

They blamed U-Dor, though in fact he was well
within his rights in directing his play as he saw fit,
nor was a refusal on his part to engage the Black
Chief necessarily an imputation of cowardice. He
was a great chief who had conceived a notion to
possess the slave Tara. There was no honor that
could accrue to him from engaging in combat with
slaves and criminals, or an unknown warrior from
Manataj, nor was the stake of sufficient import to
warrant the risk.

But now the duel between Gahan and the Orange
Panthan was on and the decision of the next move

A PLAY TO THE DEATH 285

was no longer in other hands than theirs. It was
the first time that these Manatorians had seen Gahan
of Gathol fight, but Tara of Helium knew that he
was master of his sword. Could he have seen the
proud light in her eyes as he crossed blades with
the wearer of the Orange, he might easily have
wondered if they were the same eyes that had
flashed fire and hatred at him that time he had
covered her lips with mad kisses, in the pits of the
palace of 0-Tar. As she watched him she could not
but compare his swordplay with that of the greatest
swordsman of two worlds — her father, John
Carter, of Virginia, Prince of Helium, Warlord of
Barsoom — and she knew that the skill of the Black
Chief suffered little by the comparison.

Short and to the point was the duel that decided
possession of the Orange Chief’s fourth. The spec-
tators had settled themselves for an interesting en-
gagement of at least average duration when they
were brought almost standing by a brilliant flash of
rapid swordplay that was over ere one could catch
his breath. They saw the Black Chief step quickly
back, his point upon the ground, while his opponent,
his sword slipping from his fingers, clutched his
breast, sank to his knees and then lunged for-
ward upon his face.

And then Gahan of Gathol turned his eyes di-
rectly upon U-Dor of Manator, three squares away.
Three squares is a Chief’s move — three squares in

286 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

any direction or combination of directions, only
provided that he does not cross the same square
twice in a given move. The people saw and guessed
Gahan’s intention. They rose and roared forth
their approval as he moved deliberately across the
intervening squares toward the Orange Chief.

0-Tar, in the royal enclosure, sat frowning upon
the scene. 0-Tar was angry. He was angry with
U-Dor for having entered this game for possession
of a slave, for whom it had been his wish only
slaves and criminals should strive. He was angry
with the warrior from Manataj for having so far
out-generaled and out-fought the men from Mana-
tor. He was angry with the populace because of
their open hostility toward one who had basked in
the sunshine of his favor for long years. O-Tar the
jeddak had not enjoyed the afternoon. Those who
surrounded him were equally glum — they, too,
scowled upon the field, the players, and the people.
Among them was a bent and wrinkled old man who
gazed through weak and watery eyes upon the field
and the players.

As Gahan entered his square, U-Dor leaped
toward him with drawn sword with such fury as
might have overborne a less skilled and powerful
swordsman. For a minute the fighting was fast
and furious and by comparison reducing to insig-
nificance all that had gone before. Here indeed
were two magnificent swordsmen, and here was to

A PLAY TO THE DEATH 287

be a battle that bade fair to make up for whatever
the people felt they had been defrauded of by the
shortness of the game. Nor had it continued long
before many there were who would have prophesied
that they were witnessing a duel that was to become
historic in the annals of jetan at Manator. Every
trick, every subterfuge, known to the art of fence
these men employed. Time and again each scored
a point and brought blood to his opponent’s copper
hide until both were red with gore; but neither
seemed able to administer the coup de grace.

From her position upon the opposite side of the
field Tara of Helium watched the long-drawn battle.
Always it seemed to her that the Black Chief fought
upon the defensive, or when he assumed to push
his opponent, he neglected a thousand openings that
her practiced eye beheld. Never did he seem in
real danger, nor never did he appear to exert him-
self to quite the pitch needful for victory. The duel
already had been long contested and the day was
drawing to a close. Presently the sudden transition
from daylight to darkness which, owing to the
tenuity of the air upon Barsoom, occurs almost with-
out the warning twilight of Earth, would occur.
Would the fight never end? Would the game be
called a draw after all? What ailed the Black
Chief?'

Tara wished that she might answer at least the
last of these questions for she was sure that Turan

288 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

the panthan, as she knew him, while fighting bril-
liantly, was not giving of himself all that he might.
She could not believe that fear was restraining his
hand, but that there was something beside inability
to, push U-Dor more fiercely she was confident
What it was, however, she could not guess.

Once she saw Gahan glance quickly up toward
the sinking sun. In thirty minutes it would be dark.
And then she saw and all those others saw a strange
transition steal over the swordplay of the Black
Chief. It was as though he had been playing with
the great dwar, U-Dor, all these hours, and now he
still played with him but there was a difference. He
played with him terribly as a carnivore plays with
its victim in the instant before the kill. The Orange
Chief was helpless now in the hands of a swords-
man SO superior that there could be no comparison,
and the people sat in open-mouthed wonder and awe
as Gahan of Gathol cut his foe to ribbons and then
struck him down with a blow that cleft him to the
chin.

In twenty minutes the sun would set ! But what
of that?

CHAPTER XVIII

A TASK FOR LOYALTY

Long and loud was the applause that rose above
the Field of Jetan at Manator, as The Keeper
of the Towers summoned the two Princesses and
the victorious Chief to the center of the field and
presented to the latter the fruits of his prowess,
and then, as custom demanded, the victorious
players, headed by Gahan and the two Princesses,
formed in procession behind The Keeper of the
Towers and were conducted to the place of victory
before the royal enclosure that they might receive
the commendation of the jeddak. Those who were
mounted gave up their thoats to slaves as all must
be on foot for this ceremony. Directly beneath the
royal enclosure are the gates to one of the tunnels
that, passing beneath the seats, give ingress or egress
to or from the Field. Before this gate the party
halted while O-Tar looked down upon them from
above. Val Dor and Floran, passing quietly ahead
of the others, went directly to the gates, where
they were hidden from those who occupied the en-
closure with O-Tar. The Keeper of the Towers
may have noticed them, but so occupied was he
with the formality of presenting the victorious
289

290 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Chief to the jeddak that he paid no attention to
them.

‘‘I bring you, O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator, U-Kal
of Manataj,'^ he cried in a loud voice that might
be heard by as many as possible, '‘victor over the
Orange in the second of the Jeddak’s Games of the
four hundred and thirty-third year of O-Tar, and
the slave woman Tara and the slave woman Lan-O
that you may bestow these, the stakes, upon U-Kal.’’

As he spoke, a little, wrinkled, old man peered
over the rail of the enclosure down upon the three
who stood directly behind The Keeper, and strained
his weak and watery eyes in an effort to satisfy the
curiosity of old age in a matter of no particular
import, for what were two slaves and a common
warrior from Manataj to any who sat with O-Tar
the jeddak?

"U-Kal of Manataj,” said O-Tar, "you have de-
served the stakes. Seldom have we looked upon
more noble swordplay. And you tire of Manataj
there be always here in the city of Manator a place
for you in The Jeddak’s Guard.”

While the jeddak was speaking the little, old man,
failing clearly to discern the features of the Black
Chief, reached into his pocket-pouch and drew forth
a pair of thick-lensed spectacles, which he placed
upon his nose. For a moment he scrutinized Gahan
closely, then he leaped to his feet and addressing
O-Tar pointed a shaking finger at Gahan. As he

"A TASK FOR LOYALTY

291

rc?se Tara of Helium clutched the Black Chief’s arm.

Turan ! ” she whispered. ‘‘ It is I-Gos, whom I
thought to have slain in the pits of 0-Tar. It is

I-Gos and he recognizes you and will ”

But what I-Gos would do was already transpiring.
In his falsetto voice he fairly screamed : ‘‘ It is the
slave Turan who stole the woman Tara from yoiu“
throne room, O-Tar. He desecrated the dead chief
I-Mal and wears his harness now ! ”

Instantly all was pandemonium. Warriors drew
their swords and leaped to their feet. Gahan’s vic-
torious players rushed forward in a body, sweeping
The Keeper of the Towers from his feet. Val Dor
and Floran threw open the gates beneath the royal
enclosure, opening the tunnel that led to the avenue
in the city beyond the Towers. Gahan, surrounded
by his men, drew Tara and Lan-O into the passage-
way, and at a rapid pace the party sought to reach
the opposite end of the tunnel before their escape
could be cut off. They were successful and when
they emerged into the city the sun had set and dark-
ness had come, relieved only by an antiquated and
ineffective lighting system, which cast but a pale
glow over the shadowy streets.

Now it was that Tara of Helium guessed why
the Black Chief had drawn out his duel with U-Dor
and realized that he might have slain his man at
almost any moment he had elected. The whole plan
that Gahan had whispered to his players before the

292

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

game was thoroughly understood. They were to
make their way to The Gate of Enemies and there
offer their services to U-Thor, the great Jed of
Manatos. The fact that most of them were Gathol-
ians and that Gahan could lead rescuers to the pit
where A-Kor, the son of U-Thor’s wife, was con-,
fined, convinced the Jed of Gathol that they would
meet with no rebuff at the hands of U-Thor. But
-even should he refuse them, still were they bound
together to go on toward freedom, if necessary
cutting their way through the forces of U-Thor at
The Gate of Enemies — twenty men against a small
army; but of such stuff are the warriors of Bar-
soom.

They had covered a considerable distance along
the almost deserted avenue before signs of pursuit
developed and then there came upon them suddenly
from behind a dozen warriors mounted on thoats —
a detachment, evidently, from The Jeddak's Guard.
Instantly the avenue was a pandemonium of clash-
ing blades, cursing warriors, and squealing thoats.
In the first onslaught life blood was spilled upon
both sides. Two O'f Gahan^s men went down, and
upon the enemies’ side three riderless thoats attested
at least a portion of their casualties.

Gahan was engaged with a fellow who appeared
to have been selected to account for him only, since
he rode straight for him and sought to cut him
down without giving the slightest heed to several

A TASK FOR LOYALTY

29S

who slashed at him as he passed them. The GathoK
ian, practiced in the art of combating a mounted
warrior from the ground, sought to reach the left
side of the fellow's thoat a little to the rider's rear,
the only position in which he would have any ad-
vantage over his antagonist, or rather the position
that would most greatly reduce the advantage of the
mounted man, and, similarly, the Manatorian strove
to thwart his design. And so the guardsman
wheeled and turned his vicious, angry mount while
Gahan leaped in and out in an effort to reach the
coveted vantage point, but always seeking some
other opening in his foe's defense.

And while they jockeyed for position a rider swept
swiftly past them. As he passed behind Gahan the
latter heard a cry of alarm.

‘‘Turan, they have me!" came to his ears in the
voice of Tara of Helium.

A quick glance across his shoulder showed him
the galloping thoatman in the act of dragging Tara
to the withers of the beast, and then, with the fury
of a demon, Gahan of Gathol leaped for his own
man, dragged him from his mount and as he fell
smote his head from his shoulders with a single
cut of his keen sword. Scarce had the body touched
the pavement when the Gatholian was upon the
back of the dead warrior's mount, and galloping
swiftly down the avenue after the diminishing
figures of Tara and her abductor, the sounds of the.

:294 the chessmen OF MARS

fight waning in the distance as he pursued his quarry
along the avenue that passes the palace of O-Tar and
leads to The Gate of Enemies.

Gahan’s mount, carrying but a single rider,
gained upon that of the Manatorian, so that as
they neared the palace Gahan was scarce a hun-
dred yards behind, and now, to his consternation,
he saw the fellow turn into the great entrance- way.
For a moment only was he halted by the guards
and then he disappeared within. Gahan was almost
upon him then, but evidently he had warned the
guards, for they leaped out to intercept the
Gatholian. But no! the fellow could not have
known that he was pursued, since he had not seen
Gahan seize a mount, nor would he have thought
that pursuit would come so soon. If he had passed
then, so could Gahan pass, for did he not wear the
trappings of a Manatorian? The Gatholian thought
quickly, and stopping his thoat called to the guards-
men to let him pass, ‘‘In the name of O-Tar!”
They hesitated a moment.

“Aside ! ” cried Gahan. “ Must the jeddak’s mes-
senger parley for the right to deliver his message?”

“To whom would you deliver it?” asked the
padwar of the guard.

“Saw you not him who just entered?” cried
Gahan, and without waiting for a reply urged his
thoat straight past them into the palace, and while
they were deliberating what was best to be done, it

’A TASK FOR LOYALTY

295

was too late to do anything — which is not unusual.

Along the marble corridors Gahan guided his
thoat, and because he had gone that way before,
rather than because he knew which way Tara had
been taken, he followed the runways and passed
through the chambers that led to the throne room
of O-Tar. On the second level he met a slave.

‘‘Which way went he who carried the woman
before him?” he asked.

The slave pointed toward a nearby runway that
led to the third level and Gahan dashed rapidly on
in pursuit. At the same moment a thoatman, rid-
ing at a furious pace, approached the palace and
halted his mount at the gate.

“ Saw you aught of a warrior pursuing one who
carried a woman before him on his thoat?” he
shouted to the guard.

“He but just passed in,” replied the padwar,
“saying that he was 0-Tar’s messenger.”

“He lied,” cried the newcomer. “He was
Turan, the slave, who stole the woman from the
throne room two days since. Arouse the palace!
He must be seized, and alive if possible. It is
0-Tar"s command.”

Instantly warriors were dispatched to search for
the Gatholian and warn the inmates of the palace
to do likewise. Owing to the games there were
comparatively few retainers in the great building,
but those whom they found were immediately

296 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

enlisted in the search, so that presently at least fifty
warriors were seeking through the countless cham-
bers and corridors of the palace of O-Tar.

As Gahan’s thoat bore him to the third level the
man glimpsed the hind quarters of another thoat
disappearing at the turn of a corridor far ahead.
Urging his own animal forward he raced swiftly
in pursuit and making the turn discovered only an
empty corridor ahead. Along this he hurried to
discover near its farther end a runway to the fourth
level, which he followed upward. Here he saw
that he had gained upon his quarry who was just
turning through a doorway fifty yards ahead. As
Gahan reached the opening he saw that the war-
rior had dismounted and was dragging Tara toward
a small door on the opposite side of the chamber.
At the same instant the clank of harness to his rear
caused him to cast a glance behind where, along
the corridor he had just traversed, he saw three
warriors approaching on foot at a run. Leaping
from his thoat Gahan sprang into the chamber
where Tara was struggling to free herself from the
grasp of her captor, slammed the door behind him,
shot the great bolt into its seat, and drawing his
sword crossed the room at a run to engage the
Manatorian. The fellow, thus menaced, called
aloud to Gahan to halt, at the same time thrusting
Tara at arm’s length and threatening her heart with
the point of his short-sword.

'A TASK FOR LOYALTY

297

Stay I ” he cried, ‘‘ or the woman dies, for such
is the conAmand of O-Tar, rather than that she again
fall into your hands/’

Gahan stopped. But a few feet separated him
from Tara and her captor, yet he was helpless to
aid her. Slowly the warrior backed toward the
open doorway behind him, dragging Tara with him.
The girl struggled and fought, but the warrior was
a powerful man and having seized her by the har-
ness from behind was able to hold her in a posi-
tion of helplessness.

“Save me, Turan!” she cried. “Let them not
drag me to a fate worse than death. Better that
I die now while my eyes behold a brave friend than
later, fighting alone among enemies in defense of
my honor.”

He took a step nearer. The warrior made a
threatening gesture with his sword close to the soft,
smooth skin of the princess, and Gahan halted.

“I cannot, Tara of Helium,” he cried. “Think
not ill of me that I am weak — that I cannot see
you die. Too great is my love for you, daughter
of Helium.”

The Manatorian warrior, a derisive grin upon
his lips, backed steadily away. He had almost
reached the doorway when Gahan saw another war-
rior in the chamber toward which Tara was being
borjie — a fellow who moved silently, almost
stealthily, across the marble floor as he approached

298 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Tara’s captor from behind. In his right hand he
grasped a long-sword.

“Two to one,” thought Gahan, and a grim smile
touched his lips, for he had no doubt that once
they had Tara safely in the adjoining chamber the
two would set upon him. If he could not save her,
he could at least die for her.

And then, suddenly, Gahan’s eyes fastened with
amazement upon the figure of the warrior behind
the grinning fellow who held Tara and was forcing
her to the doorway. He saw the newcomer step
almost within arm’s reach of the other. He saw
him stop, an expression of malevolent hatred upon
his features. He saw the great sword swing through
the arc of a great circle, gathering swift and terrific
momentum from its own weight backed by the
brawn of the steel thews that guided it; he saw
it pass through the feathered skull of the Mana-
torian, splitting his sardonic grin in twain, and
open him to the middle of his breast bone.

As the dead hand relaxed its grasp upon Tara’s
wrist the girl leaped forward, without a backward
glance, to Gahan’s side. His left arm encircled
her, nor did she draw away, as with ready sword
the Gatholian awaited Fate’s next decree. Before
them Tara’s deliverer was wiping the blood from
his sword upon the hair of his victim. He was
evidently a Manatorian, his trappings those of the
Jeddak’s Guard, and so his act was inexplicable to

’A TASK FOR LOYALTY

299^

Gahan and to Tara. Presently he sheathed his
sword and approached them.

“ When a man chooses to hide his identity behind
an assumed name/' he said, looking straight into
Gahan's eyes, “whatever friend pierces the decep-
tion were no friend if he divulged the other's
secret."

He paused as though awaiting a reply.

“Your integrity has perceived and your lips
voiced an unalterable truth," replied Gahan, whose
mind was filled with wonder if the implication could
by any possibility be true — that this Manatorian
had guessed his identity.

“ We are thus agreed," continued the other, “ and
I may tell you that though I am here known as
A-Sor, my real name is Tasor." He paused and
watched Gahan's face intently for any sign of the
effect of this knowledge and was rewarded with a
quick, though guarded expression of recognition.

Tasor! Friend of his youth. The son of that
great Gatholian noble who had given his life so
gloriously, however futilely, in an attempt to de-
fend Gahan's sire from the daggers of the assassins.
Tasor an under-pad war in the guard of 0-Tar,
Jeddak of Manator! It was inconceivable — and
yet it was he; there could be no doubt of it.

“Tasor," Gahan repeated aloud. “But it is no
Manatorian name." The statement was half in-
terrogatory, for Gahan's curiosity was aroused. He

300 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

would know how his friend and loyal subject had
become a Manatorian. Long years had passed
since Tasor had disappeared as mysteriously as
the Princess Plaja and many other of Gahan’s sub-
jects. The Jed of Gathol had long supposed him
dead.

“No,” replied Tasor, “nor is it a Manatorian
name. Come, while I search for a hiding place
for you in some forgotten chamber in one of the
nntenanted portions of the palace, and as we go
I will tell you briefly how Tasor the Gatholian
became A-Sor the Manatorian.

“It befell that as I rode with a dozen of my
warriors along the western border of Gathol search-
ing for zitidars that had strayed from my herds,
we were set upon and surrounded by a great com-
pany of Manatorians. They overpowered us, though
not before half our number was slain and the bal-
ance helpless from wounds. And so I was brought
a prisoner to Manataj, a distant city of Manator,
and there sold into slavery. A woman bought me
— a princess of Manataj whose wealth and position
were unequaled in the city of her birth. She loved
me and when her husband discovered her infatua-
tion she beseeched me to slay him, and when I
refused she hired another to do it. Then she mar-
ried me; but none would have aught to do with
her in Manataj, for they suspected her guilty knowl-
edge of her husband's murder. And so we set

TASK FOR LOYALTY

301

out from Manataj for Manatos accompanied by a
great caravan bearing all her worldly goods and
jewels and precious metals, and on the way she
caused the rumor to be spread that she and I had
died. Then we came to Manator instead, she tak-
ing a new name and I the name A-Sor, that we
might not be traced through our names. With her
great wealth she bought me a post in The Jeddak’s
Guard and none knows that I am not a Mana-
torian, for she is dead. She was beautiful, but she
was a devil.”

“And you never sought to return to your native
city?” asked Gahan.

“ Never has the hope been absent from my heart,
or my mind empty of a plan,” replied Tasor. “I
dream of it by day and by night, but always must
I return to the same conclusion — that there can be
but a single means for escape. I must wait until
Fortune favors me with a place in a raiding party
to Gathol. Then, once within the boundaries of
my own country, they shall see me no more.”

“Perhaps your opportunity lies already within
your grasp,” said Gahan, “has not your fealty to
your own Jed been undermined by years of associ-
ation with the men of Manator.” The statement
was half challenge.

“And my Jed stood before me now,” cried Tasor,
“and my avowal could be made without violating
his confidence, I should cast my sword at his feet

502 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

and beg the high privilege of dying for him as my
sire died for his sire.”

There could be no doubt of his sincerity nor any
that he was cognizant of Gahan's identity. The Jed
of Gathol smiled. ‘'And if your Jed were here there
is little doubt but that he would command you to
devote your talents and your prowess to the rescue
of the Princess Tara of Helium,” he said, mean-
ingly. “And he possessed the knowledge I have
gained during my captivity he would say to you,
>‘Go, Tasor, to the pit where A-Kor, son of Haja
of Gathol, is confined and set him free and with
him arouse the slaves from Gathol and march to
The Gate of Enemies and offer your services to
U-Thor of Manataj, who is wed to Haja of Gathol,
and ask of him in return that he attack the palace
of O-Tar and rescue Tara of Helium and when
that thing is accomplished that he free the slaves
of Gathol and furnish them with the arms and the
means to return to their own country.’ That,
Tasor of Gathol, is what Gahan your Jed would
demand of you.”

“And that, Turan the slave, is what I shall bend
my every effort to accomplish after I have found
a safe refuge for Tara of Helium and her panthan,”
replied Tasor.

Gahan’s glance carried to Tasor an intimation
of his Jed’s gratification and filled him with a
chivalrous determination to do the thing required of

'A TASK FOR LOYALTY

305

him, or die, for he considered that he had received
from the lips of his beloved ruler a commission that
placed upon his shoulders a responsibility that en-
compassed not alone the life of Gahan and Tara
but the welfare, perhaps the whole future, of Gathol.
And so he hastened them onward through the musty
corridors of the old palace where the dust of ages
lay undisturbed upon the marble tiles. Now and
again he tried a door until he found one that was
unlocked. Opening it he ushered them into a cham-
ber, heavy with dust. Crumbling silks and furs
adorned the walls, with ancient weapons, and great
paintings whose colors were toned by age to won-
drous softness.

“This be as good as any place,’’ he said. “No
one comes here. Never have I been here before,
so I know no more of the other chambers than
you ; but this one, at least, can I find again when I
bring you food and drink. 0-Mai the Cruel occu-
pied this portion of the palace during his reign,
five thousand years before O-Tar. In one of these
apartments he was found dead, his face contorted
in an expression of fear so horrible that it drove
to madness those who looked upon it ; yet there was
no mark of violence upon him. Since then the
quarters of O-Mai have been shunned for the legends
have it that the ghosts of Corphals pursue the spirit
of the wicked Jeddak nightly through these cham-
bers, shrieking and moaning as they go. But,” he

S304 the chessmen OF MARS

added, as though to reassure himself as well as his
companions, “ such things may not be countenanced
by the culture of Gathol or Helium/'

Gahan laughed. ‘‘And if all who looked upon
him were driven mad, who then was there to per-
form the last rites or prepare the body of the Jeddak
for them?”

“There was none,” replied Tasor. “Where they
found him they left him and there to this very day
his mouldering bones lie hid in some forgotten cham-
ber of this forbidden suite.”

Tasor left them then assuring them that he would
seek the first opportunity to speak with A-Kor, and
upon the following day he would bring them food
and drink.^

After Tasor had gone Tara turned to Gahan
and approaching laid a hand upon his arm. “ So
swiftly have events transpired since I recognized
you beneath your disguise,” she said, “that I have
had no opportunity to assure you of my gratitude
and the high esteem that your valor has won for
you in my consideration. Let me now acknowledge
my indebtedness; and if promises be not vain from
one whose life and liberty are in grave jeopardy,
accept my assurance of the great reward that awaits
you at the hand of my father in Helium.”

1 Those who have read John Carter’s description of the Green Martians
in A Princess of Mars will recall that these strange people could exist
for considerable periods of time without food or water, and to a lesser
degree is the same true of all Martians.

"A TASK FOR LOYALTY

305

“I desire no reward/^ he replied, ‘‘other than
the happiness of knowing that the woman I love
is happy.”

For an instant the eyes of Tara of Helium blazed
as she drew herself haughtily to her full height,
and then they softened and her attitude relaxed as
she shook her head sadly.

“I have it not in my heart to reprimand you,
Turan,” she said, “however great your fault, for
you have been an honorable and a loyal friend to
Tara of Helium; but you must not say what my
“^ears must not hear.”

“ You mean,” he asked, “ that the ears of a Prin-
cess must not listen to words of love from a
pan than ? ”

“It is not that, Turan,” she replied; “but rather
that I may not in honor listen to words of love from
another than him to whom I am betrothed — a fel-
low countryman, Djor Kantos.”

“You mean, Tara of Helium,” he cried, “that
were it not for that you would ”

“Stop!” she commanded. “You have no right
to assume aught else than my lips testify.”

“The eyes are ofttimes more eloquent than the
lips, Tara,” he replied; “and in yours I have read
that which is neither hatred nor contempt for Turan
the panthan, and my heart tells me that your lips
bore false witness when they cried in anger : ‘ I hate
you!’”

■So6 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

do not hate you, Turan, nor yet may I love
you,’’ said the girl, simply.

‘'When I broke my way out from the chamber
of I-Gos I was indeed upon the verge of believing
that you did hate me,” he said, “for only hatred,
it seemed to me, could account for the fact that
you had gone without making an effort to liberate
me; but presently both my heart and my judgment
told me that Tara of Helium could not have de-
serted a companion in distress, and though I still
am in ignorance of the facts I know that it was
beyond your power to aid me.”

“ It was indeed,” said the girl. “ Scarce had
I-Gos fallen at the bite of my dagger than I heard
the approach of warriors. I ran then to hide until
they had passed, thinking to return and liberate you ;
but in seeking to elude the party I had heard I ran
full into the arms of another. They questioned
me as to your whereabouts, and I told them that
you had gone ahead and that I was following you
and thus I led them from you.”

“I knew,” was Gahan’s only comment, but his
heart was glad with elation, as a lover’s must be
who has heard from the lips of his divinity an
avowal of interest and loyalty, however little tinged
by a suggestion of warmer regard it may be. To
be abused, even, by the mistress of one’s heart is
better than to be ignored.

As the two conversed in the ill-lit chamber, the

A TASK FOR LOYALTY

307

dim bulbs of which were encrusted with the accu-
mulated dust of centuries, a bent and withered figure
traversed slowly the gloomy corridors without, his
weak and watery eyes peering through thick lenses
at the signs of passage written upon the dusty
floor.

CHAPTER XIX

THE MENACE OE THE DEAD
HE night was still young when there came

X one to the entrance of the banquet hall where

0- Tar of Manator dined with his chiefs, and brush-
ing past the guards entered the great room with
the insolence of a privileged character, as in truth
he was. As he approached the head of the long
board O-Tar took notice of him.

“Well, hoary one!’* he cried. “What brings
you out of your beloved and stinking burrow again
this day. We thought that the sight of the multi-
tude of living men at the games would drive you
back to your corpses as quickly as you could go.”

The cackling laugh of I-Gos acknowledged the
royal sally. “Ey, ey, O-Tar,” squeaked the ancient
one, “ I-Gos goes out not upon pleasure bound ; but
when one does ruthlessly desecrate the dead of

1- Gos, vengeance must be had ! ”

“You refer to the act of the slave Turan?” de-
manded O-Tar.

“Turan, yes, and the slave Tar^, who slipped
beneath my hide a murderous blade. Another frac-
tion of an inch, O-Tar, and I-Gos’ ancient and
wrinkled covering were even now in some apprentice
tanner’s hands, ey, ey!”

THE MENACE OF THE DEAD 309

‘‘But they have again eluded us,” cried 0-Tar.
“Even in the palace of the great jeddak twice have
they escaped the stupid knaves I call The Jeddak’s
Guard.” O-Tar had risen and was angrily empha-
sizing his words with heavy blows upon the table^
dealt with a golden goblet.

“Ey, O-Tar, they elude thy guard but not the
wise old calot, I-Gos.”

“What mean you? Speak!” commanded O-Tar.

“I know where they are hid,” said the ancient
taxidermist. “ In the dust of unused corridors their
feet have betrayed them.”

“You followed them? You have seen them?”
demanded the jeddak.

“I followed them and I heard them speaking
beyond a closed door,” replied I-Gos; “but I did
not see them.”

“Where is that door?” cried O-Tar. “We will
send at once and fetch them,” he looked about the
table as though to decide to whom he would entrust
this duty. A dozen warrior chiefs arose and laid
their hands upon their swords.

“To the chambers of O-Mai the Cruel I traced
them,” squeaked I-Gos. “ There you will find them
where the moaning Corphals pursue the shrieking
ghost of O-Mai ; ey ! ” and he turned his eyes from
O-Tar toward the warriors who had arisen, only
to discover that, to a man, they were hurriedh
resuming their seats.

gio THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

The cackling laughter of I-Gos broke derisively
the hush that had fallen on the room. The war-
riors looked sheepishly at the food upon their plates
of gold. O-Tar snapped his fingers impatiently.

“ Be there only cravens among the chiefs of Man-
ator?’' he cried. ‘‘Repeatedly have these pre-
sumptuous slaves flouted the majesty of your jed-
dak. Must I command one to go and fetch them ?

Slowly a chief arose and two others followed his
example, though with ill concealed reluctance. “All,
then, are not cov’"^ “ds.’^ commented O-Tar. “The

■ ■ p - • ■■

duty is distastefu ^refqre all three of you shall

1 • • 1 M

go, taking as m ^lors as you wish.

“But do not ^^plunteers,” interrupted
I-Gos, “ or you will go

The three chiefs turnea^md left the banquet hall,
walking slowly like doomed men to their fate.

Gahan and Tara remained in the chamber to
which Tasor had led them, the man brushing away
the dust from a deep and comfortable bench where
they might rest in comparative comfort. He had
found the ancient sleeping silks and furs too far
gone to be of any service, crumbling to powder at a
touch, thus removing any chance of making a com-
fortable bed for the girl, and so the two sat to-
gether, talking in low tones, of the adventures
through which they already had passed and specu-
lating upon the future; planning means of escape

THE MENACE OF THE DEAD 311

and hoping Tasor would not be long gone. They
spoke of many things — of Hastor, and Helium, and
Ptarth, and finally the conversation reminded Tara
of Gathol.

‘‘You have served there?’’ she asked.

“Yes,” replied Turan.

“I met Gahan the Jed of Gathol at my father’s
palace,” she said, “the very day before the storm
snatched me from Helium — he was a presumptuous
fellow, magnificently trapped in nlatirium and dia-
monds. Never in my life sav gorgeous a har-
ness as his, and you ^ ' '^w, Turan, that

the splendor of all i.joy trough the court

at Helium; ^ ^ald not see so re-

splend<" xx.g that jeweled sword

^ ' . me that the Jed of Gathol,

t.4 cuy picture of a man, is little else.”

Ill die dim light Tara did not perceive the wry
expression upon the half -averted face of her com-
panion.

“You thought little then of the Jed of Gathol?”
he asked.

“Then or now,” she replied, and with a little
laugh; “how it would pique his vanity to know, if
he might, that a poor panthan had won a higher
place in the regard of Tara of Helium,” and she
laid her fingers gently upon his knee.

He seized the fingers in his and carried them to
his lips. “ O, Tara of Helium,” he cried. “ Think

512

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

you that I am a man of stone?” One arm slipped
about her shoulders and drew the yielding body
toward him.

‘‘May my first ancestor forgive me my weak-
ness,” she cried, as her arms stole about his neck
and she raised her panting lips to his. For long
they clung there in love’s first kiss and then she
pushed him away, gently. “I love you, Turan,”
she half sobbed; “I love you so! It is my only
poor excuse for having done this wrong to Djor
Kantos, whom now I know I never loved, who
knew not the meaning of love. And if you love
me as you say, Turan, your love must protect me
from greater dishonor, ^ ' but as clay in

your hands.”

Again he crushed her to him ct c '^id-

denly released her, and rising, strode rapia.^'
and fro across the chamber as though he endeavored
by violent exercise to master and subdue some evil
spirit that had laid hold upon him. Ringing
through his brain and heart and soul like some
joyous paeon were those words that had so altered
the world for Gahan of Gathol: “I love you,
Turan; I love you so!” And it had come so sud-
denly. He had thought that she felt for him only
gratitude for his loyalty and then, in an instant,
her barriers were all down, she was no longer a
princess; but instead a — his reflections were inter-
rupted by a sound from beyond the closed doon

THE MENACE OF THE DEAD

His sandals of zitidar hide had given forth no
sound upon the marble floor he strode, and as his
rapid pacing carried him past the entrance to the
chamber there came faintly from the distance of
the long corridor the sound of metal on metal — the
unmistakable herald of the approach of armed men.

For a moment Gahan listened intently, close to
the door, until there could be no doubt but that a
party of warriors was approaching. From what
Tasor had told him he guessed correctly that they
would be coming to this portion of the palace but
for a single purpose — to search for Tara and him-
self— and it behooved him therefore to seek im-
mediate means for eluding them. The chamber in
which they were had other doorways beside that
at which they had entered, and to one of these he
must look for some safer hiding place. Crossing
to Tara he acquainted her with his suspicion, lead-
ing her to one of the doors which they found unse-
cured. Beyond it lay a dimly-lighted chamber at
the threshold of which they halted in consternation,
drawing back quickly into the chamber they had
just quitted, for their first glance revealed four
'warriors seated around a jetan board.

That their entrance had not been noted was at-
tributed by Gahan to the absorption of the two play-
ers and their friends in the game. Quietly closing
the door the fugitives moved silently to the next,
which they found locked. There was now but an-

t^i4 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

other door which they had not tried, and this they
approached quickly as they knew that the searching
party must be close to the chamber. To their
chagrin they found this avenue of escape barred.

Now indeed were they in a sorry plight, for
should the searchers have information leading them
to this room they were lost. Again leading Tara
to the door behind which were the jetan players
Gahan drew his sword and waited, listening. The
sound of the party in the corridor came distinctly
to their ears — they must be quite close, and doubt-
less they were coming in force. Beyond the door
were but four warriors who might be readily sur-
prised. There could, then, be but one choice and
acting upon it Gahan quietly opened the door again,
stepped through into the adjoining chamber, Tara’s
hand in his, and closed the door behind them. The
four at the jetan board evidently failed to hear
them. One player had either just made or was con-
templating a move, for his fingers grasped a piece
that still rested upon the board. The other three
were watching his move. For an instant Gahan
looked at them, playing jetan there in the dim light
of this forgotten and forbidden chamber, and then
a slow smile of understanding lighted his face.

“Come!” he said to Tara. “We have nothing
to fear from these. For more than five thousand
years they have sat thus, a monument to the handi-
work of some ancient taxidermist.”

THE MENACE OF THE DEAD gi5

As they approached more closely they saw that
the lifelike figures were coated with dust, but that
otherwise the skin was in as fine a state of preserva-
tion as the most recent of I-Gos^ groups, and then
they heard the door of the chamber they had quitted
open and knew that the searchers were close upon
them. Across the room they saw the opening of
what appeared to be a corridor and which investi-
gation proved to be a short passageway, terminating
in a chamber in the center of which was an ornate
sleeping dais. This room, like the others, was but
poorly lighted, time having dimmed the radiance
of its bulbs and coated them with dust. A glance
showed that it was hung with heavy goods and con-
tained considerable massive furniture in addition to
the sleeping platform, a second glance at which
revealed what appeared to be the form of a man
lying partially on the floor and partially on the
dais. No doorways were visible other than that at
which they had entered, though both knew that
others might be concealed by the hangings.

Gahan, his curiosity aroused by the legends sur-
rounding this portion of the palace, crossed to the
dais to examine the figure that apparently had fallen
from it, to find the dried and shrivelled corpse of
a man lying upon his back on the floor with arms
outstretched and fingers stiffly outspread. One of
his feet was doubled partially beneath him, while
the other was still entangled in the sleeping silks

Si6 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

and furs upon the dais. After five thousand years
the expression of the withered face and the eyeless
sockets retained the aspect of horrid fear to such
an extent, that Gahan knew that he was looking
upon the body of O-Mai the Cruel.

Suddenly Tara, who stood close beside him,
clutched his arm and pointed toward a far comer
of the room. Gahan looked and looking felt the
hairs upon his neck rising. He threw his left arm
about the girl and with bared sword stood between
her and the hangings that they watched, and then
slowly Gahan of Gathol backed away, for in this
grim and somber chamber, which no human foot
had trod for five thousand years and to which no
breath of wind might enter, the heavy hangings in
fhe far corner had moved. Not gently had they
moved as a draught might have moved them had
there been a draught, but suddenly they had bulged
out as though pushed against from behind. To the
opposite corner backed Gahan until they stood with
their backs against the hangings there, and then
hearing the approach of their pursuers across the
chamber beyond Gahan pushed Tara through the
hangings and, following her, kept open with his
left hand, which he had disengaged from the girl’s
grasp, a tiny opening through which he could view
the apartment and the doorway upon the opposite
side through which the pursuers would enter, if
they came this far.

THE MENACE OF THE DEAD 317

Behind the hangings there was a space of about
three feet in width between them and the wall, mak-
ing a passageway entirely around the room, broken
only by the single entrance opposite them ; this being
a common arrangement especially in the sleeping
apartments of the rich and powerful upon Barsoom.
The purposes of this arrangement were several. The
passageway afforded a station for guards in the
same room with their master without intruding en-
tirely upon his privacy ; it concealed secret exits from
the chamber ; it permitted the occupant of the room
to hide eavesdroppers and assassins for use against
enemies that he might lure to his chamber.

The three chiefs with a dozen warriors had had
no difficulty in following the tracks of the fugitives
through the dust of the corridors and chambers they
had traversed. To enter this portion of the palace
at all had required all the courage they possessed,
and now that they were within the very chambers
of O-Mai their nerves were pitched to the highest
key — another turn and they would snap; for the
people of Manator are filled with weird superstitions.
As they entered the outer chamber they moved
slowly, with drawn swords, no one seeming anxious
to take the lead, and the twelve warriors hanging
back in unconcealed and shameless terror, while the
three chiefs, spurred on by fear of 0-Tar and by
pride, pressed together for mutual encouragement
as they slowly crossed the dimly-lighted room.

8i8 the chessmen OF MARS

Following the tracks of Gahan and Tara they
found that though each doorway had been ap-
proached only one threshold had been crossed and
this door they gingerly opened, revealing to their
astonished gaze the four warriors at the jetan table.
For a moment they were on the verge of flight, for
though they knew what they were, coming as they
did upon them in this mysterious and haunted suite,
they were as startled as though they had beheld
the very ghosts of the departed. But they presently
regained their courage sufficiently to cross this
chamber too and enter the short passageway that
led to the ancient sleeping apartment of O-Mai the
Cruel. They did not know that this awful cham-
ber hy just before them, or it were doubtful that
they would have proceeded farther; but they saw
that those they sotfght had come this way and so
they followed, but within the gloomy interior of
the chamber they halted, the three chiefs urging
their followers, in low whispers, to close in behind
them, and there just within the entrance they stood
until, their eyes becoming accustomed to the dim
light, one of them pointed suddenly to the thing
lying upon the floor with one foot tangled in the
coverings of the dais.

Look ! ” he gasped. “ It is the corpse of O-Mai !
Ancestor of ancestors! we are in the forbidden
chamber.” Simultaneously there came from behind
the hangings beyond the grewsome dead a hollow

THE MENACE OF THE DEAD 319

moan followed by a piercing scream, and the hang-
ings shook and bellied before their eyes.

With one accord, chieftains and warriors, they
turned and bolted for the doorway; a narrow door-
way, where they jammed, fighting and screaming
in an effort to escape. They threw away their
swords and clawed at one another to make a pas-
sage for escape; those behind climbed upon the
shoulders of those in front; and some fell and were
trampled upon; but at last they all got through,
and, the swiftest first, they bolted across the two
intervening chambers to the outer corridor beyond,
nor did they halt their mad retreat before they
stumbled, weak and trembling, into the banquet hall
of 0-Tar. At sight of them the warriors who had
remained with the jeddak leaped to their feet with
drawn swords, thinking that their fellows were pur-
sued by many enemies; but no one followed them
into the room, and the three chieftains came and
stood before 0-Tar with bowed heads and trembling
knees.

‘‘Well?” demanded the jeddak. “What ails
you ? Speak ! ”

“0-Tar,” cried one of them when at last he
could master his voice. “ When have we three failed
you in battle or combat? Have our swords been
not always among the foremost in defense of your
safety and your honor?”

“Have I denied this?” demanded 0-Tar.

g20 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Listen then, O Jeddak, and judge us with
leniency. We followed the two slaves to the apart-
ments of 0-Mai the Cruel. We entered the ac-
cursed chambers and still we did not falter. We
came at last to that horrid chamber no human eye
had scanned before in fifty centuries and we looked
upon the dead face of 0-Mai, lying as he has lain
for all this time. To the very death chamber of
O-Mai the Cruel we came and yet we were ready
to go farther; when suddenly there broke upon our
horrified ears the moans and the shrieking that mark
these haunted chambers and the hangings moved
and rustled in the dead air. 0-Tar, it was more
than human nerves could endure. We turned and
fled. We threw away our swords and fought with
one another to escape. With sorrow, but without
shame, I tell it, for there be no man in all Manator
that would not have done the same. If these slaves
be Corphals they are safe among their fellow
ghosts. If they be not Corphals, then already are
they dead in the chambers of O-Mai, and there
may they rot for all of me, for I would not return
to that accursed spot for the harness of a jeddak
and the half of Barsoom for an empire. I have
spoken.”

0-Tar knitted his scowling brows. Are all my
chieftains cowards and cravens?” he demanded
presently in sneering tones.

From among those who had not been of the

THE MENACE OF THE DEAD ^2t

searching party a chieftain arose and turned ai
scowling face upon O-Tar.

“ The jeddak knows,” he said, ‘‘ that in the annals
of Manator her jeddaks have ever been accounted
the bravest of her warriors. Where my jeddak
leads I will follow, nor may any jeddak call me a
coward or a craven unless I refuse to go where he
dares go. I have spoken.”

After he had resumed his seat there was a pain-
ful silence, for all knew that the speaker had chal-
lenged the courage of O-Tar the Jeddak of
Manator and all awaited the reply of their ruler. In
every mind was the same thought — O-Tar must
lead them at once to the chamber of O-Mai the
Cruel, or accept forever the stigma of cowardice,
and there could be no coward upon the throne of
Manator. That they all knew and that O-Tar knew,
as well.

But O-Tar hesitated. He looked about upon the
faces of those around him at the banquet board;
but he saw only the grim visages of relentless war-
riors. There was no trace of leniency in the face
of any. And then his eye wandered to a small
entrance at one side of the great chamber. An ex-
pression of relief expunged the scowl of anxiety
from his features.

*^Look!” he exclaimed. ‘‘See who has come!**

CHAPTER XX

THE CHARGE OF COWARDICE

GAHAN, watching through the aperture be-
tween the hangings, saw the frantic flight
of their pursuers. A grim smile rested upon his
lips as he viewed the mad scramble for safety and
saw them throw away their swords and fight with
one another to be first from the chamber of fear,
and when they were all gone he turned back toward
Tara, the smile still upon his lips; but the smile
died the instant that he turned, for he saw that
Tara had disappeared.

‘‘Tara!’’ he called in a loud voice, for he knew
that there was no danger that their pursuers would
return; but there was no response, unless it was
a faint sound as of cackling laughter from afar.
Hurriedly he searched the passageway behind the
hangings finding several doors, one of which was
ajar. Through this he entered the adjoining cham-
ber which was lighted more brilliantly for the
moment by the soft rays of hurtling Thuria tak-
ing her mad way through the heavens. Here he
found the dust upon the floor disturbed, and the
imprint of sandals. They had come this way —
Tara and whatever the creature was that had stolen
her.

322

THE CHARGE OF COWARDICE 323

But what could it have been? Gahan, a man of
culture and high intelligence, held few if any super-
stitions. In common with nearly all races of Bar-
soom he clung, more or less inherently, to a certain
exalted form of ancestor worship, though it was
rather the memory or legends of the virtues and,
heroic deeds of his forebears that he deified rather
than themselves. He never expected any tangible
evidence of their existence after death; he did not
believe that they had the power either for good or
for evil other than the effect that their example
while living might have had upon following gen-
erations; he did not believe therefore in the mate-
rialization of dead spirits. If there was a life
hereafter he knew nothing of it, for he knew that
science had demonstrated the existence of some
material cause for every seemingly supernatural
phenomenon of ancient religions and superstitions.
Yet he was at a loss to know what power might
have removed Tara so suddenly and mysteriously
from his side in a chamber that had not known
the presence of man for five thousand years.

In the darkness he could not see whether there
were the imprints of other sandals than Tara's —
only that the dust was disturbed — and when it
led him into gloomy corridors he lost the trail alto-
gether. A perfect labyrinth of passages and apart-
ments were now revealed to him as he hurried on
through the deserted quarters of 0-Mai. Here was

324 the chessmen OF MARS

T

an ancient bath — doubtless that of the jeddak him-
self, and again he passed through a room in which
a meal had been laid upon a table five thousand
years before — the untasted breakfast of O-Mai,
perhaps. There passed before his eyes in the brief
moments that he traversed the chambers, a wealth
of ornaments and jewels and precious metals that
surprised even the Jed of Gathol whose harness was
of diamonds and platinum and whose riches were
the envy of a world. But at last his search of
O-Mai’s chambers ended in a small closet in the
floor of which was the opening to a spiral run-
way leading straight down into Stygian darkness.
The dust at the entrance of the closet had been
freshly disturbed, and as this was the only possible
indication that Gahan had of the direction taken
by the abductor of Tara it seemed as well to fol-
low on as to search elsewhere. So, without hesi-
tation, he descended into the utter darkness below.
Feeling with a foot before taking a forward step
his descent was necessarily slow, but Gahan was a
Barsoomian and so knew the pitfalls that might
await the unwary in such dark, forbidden portions
of a jeddak's palace.

He had descended for what he judged might be
three full levels and was pausing, as he occasionally
did, to listen, when he distinctly heard a peculiar
shuffling, scraping sound approaching him from
below. Whatever the thing was it was ascending

THE CHARGE OF COWARDICE ^325

the runway at a steady pace and would soon be
near him. Gahan laid his hand upon the hilt of
his sword and drew it slowly from its scabbard
that he might make no noise that would appraise
the creature of his presence. He wished that there
might be even the slightest lessening of the dark-
ness. If he could see but the outline of the thing
that approached him he would feel that he had a'
fairer chance in the meeting; but he could see noth-
ing, and then because he could see nothing the end
of his scabbard struck the stone side of the run-
way, giving off a sound that the stillness and the
narrow confines of the passage and the darkness
seemed to magnify to a terrific clatter.

Instantly the shuffling sound of approach ceased.
For a moment Gahan stood in silent waiting, then
casting aside discretion he moved on again down
the spiral. The thing, whatever it might be, gave
forth no sound now by which Gahan might locate
it. At any moment it might be upon him and so
he kept his sword in readiness. Down, ever down-
ward the steep spiral led. The darkness and the
silence of the tomb surrounded him, yet somewhere
ahead was something. He was not alone in that
horrid place — another presence that he could not
hear or see hovered before him — of that he was
positive. Perhaps it was the thing that had stolen
Tara. Perhaps Tara herself, still in the clutches
of some nameless horror, was just ahead of hinu.

.326 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

He quickened his pace — it became almost a run
at the thought of the danger that threatened the
woman he loved, and then he collided with a wooden
■ door that swung open to the impact. Before him
was a lighted corridor. On either side were cham-
bers. He had advanced but a short distance from
the bottom of the spiral when he recognized that
he was in the pits below the palace. A moment
later he heard behind him the shuffling sound that
had attracted his attention in the spiral runway.
Wheeling about he saw the author of the sound
emerging from a doorway he had just passed. It
was Ghek the kaldane.

“ Ghek ! ’’ exclaimed Gahan. “ It was you in the
runway? Have you seen Tara of Helium?’^

“It was I in the spiral,” replied the kaldane;
“but I have not seen Tara of Helium. I have been
searching for her. Where is she?”

“I do not know,” replied the Gatholian; “but
’we must find her and take her from this place.”

“We may find her,” said Ghek; “but I doubt
our ability to take her away. It is not so easy to
leave Manator as it is to enter it. I may come
and go at will, through the ancient burrows of the
ulsios; but you are too large for that and your
lungs need more air than may be found in some
of the deeper runways.”

“But U-Thor!” exclaimed Gahan. “Have you
iheard aught of him or his intentions?”

THE CHARGE OF. COWARDICE 327

** I have heard much,” replied Ghek. “ He camps
at The Gate of Enemies. That spot he holds and
his warriors lie just beyond The Gate; but he has
not sufficient force to enter the city and take the
palace. An hour since and you might have made
your way to him ; but now every avenue is strongly
guarded since O-Tar learned that A-Kor had
escaped to U-Thor.”

‘‘A-Kor has escaped and joined U-Thor!” ex-
claimed Gahan.

But little more than an hour since. I was with
him when a warrior came — a man whose name is
Tasor — who brought a message from you. It was
decided that Tasor should accompany A-Kor in an
attempt to reach the camp of U-Thor, the great jed
of Manatos, and exact from him the assurances
you required. Then U-Thor was to return and
take food to you and the Princess of Helium. I
accompanied them. We won through easily and
found U-Thor more than willing to respect your
every wish, but when Tasor would have returned
to you the way was blocked by the warriors of
O-Tar. Then it was that I volunteered to -come
to you and report and find food and drink and
then go forth among the Gatholian slaves of Man-
ator and prepare them for their part in the plan
that U-Thor and Tasor conceived.”

*‘And what was this plan?”

U-Thor has sent for reinforcements. To Man-

328 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

atos he has sent and to all the outlying districts
that are his. It will take a month to collect and
bring them hither and in the meantime the slaves
within the city are to organize secretly, stealing
and hiding arms against the day that the reinforce-
ments arrive. When that day comes the forces of
U-Thor will enter The Gate of Enemies and as the
warriors of O-Tar rush to repulse them the slaves
from Gathol will fall upon them from the rear with
the majority of their numbers, while the balance will
assault the palace. They hope thus to divert so
many from The Gate that U-Thor will have little
difficulty in forcing an entrance to the city.’’

'‘Perhaps they will succeed,” commented Gahan;
^'but the warriors of O-Tar are many, and those
who fight in defense of their homes and their jed-
dak have always an advantage. Ah, Ghek, would
that we had the great warships of Gathol or of
Helium to pour their merciless fire into the streets
of Manator while U-Thor marched to the palace
over the corpses of the slain.” He paused, deep
in thought, and then turned his gaze again upon
the kaldane. "Heard you aught of the party that
escaped with me from The Field of Jetan — of
Floran, Val Dor, and the others? What of them?”

“Ten of these won through to U-Thor at The
Gate of Enemies and were well received by him.
Eight fell in the fighting upon the way. Val Dor
and Floran live, I believe, for I am sure that I

THE CHARGE OF COWARDICE 329

heard U-Thor address two warriors by these
names/’

“ Good ! ” exclaimed Gahan. “ Go then, through
the burrows of the ulsios, to The Gate of Enemies
and carry to Floran the message that I shall write
in his own language. Come, while I write the
message.”

In a nearby room they found a bench and table
and there Gahan sat and wrote in the strange,,
stenographic characters of Martian script a mes-
sage to Floran of Gathol. “Why,” he asked, when
he had finished it, “ did you search for Tara through
the spiral runway where we nearly met ? ”

“Tasor told me where you were to be found,,
and as I have explored the greater part of the
palace by means of the ulsio runways and the darker
and less frequented passages I knew precisely where
you were and how to reach you. This secret spiral
ascends from the pits to the roof of the loftiest of
the palace towers. It has secret openings at every
level; but there is no living Manatorian, I believe,
who knows of its existence. At least never have
I met one within it and I have used it many times.
Thrice have I been in the chamber where 0-Mai
lies, though I knew nothing of his identity or the
story of his death until Tasor told it to us in the
camp of U-Thor.”

“You know the palace thoroughly then?” Gahan
interrupted.

330 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

“ Better than 0-Tar himself or any of his serv-
ants.”

‘‘ Good ! And you would serve the Princess Tara,
Ghek, you may serve her best by accompanying
Floran and following his instructions. I will write
them here at the close of my message to him, for
the walls have ears, Ghek, while none but a
Gatholian may read what I have writ to Floran.
He will transmit it to you. Can I trust you?”

I may never return to Bantoom,” replied Ghek.

Therefore I have but two friends in all Barsoom.
What better may I do than serve them faithfully?
You may trust me, Gatholian, who with a woman
of your kind has taught me that there be finer
and nobler things than perfect mentality unin-
fluenced by the unreasoning tuitions of the heart.
I go.”

As 0-Tar pointed to the little doorway all eyes
turned in the direction he indicated and surprise
was writ large upon the faces of the warriors when
they recognized the two who had entered the ban-
quet hall. There was I-Gos, and he dragged be-
hind him one who was gagged and whose hands
were fastened behind with a ribbon of tough silk.
It was Tara the slave girl. I-Gos’ cackling laughter
rose above the silence of the room.

*‘Ey, ey!” he shrilled. ‘‘What the young war-
riors of 0-Tar cannot do, old I-Gos does alone.'^

THE CHARGE OF COWARDICE 331

‘‘Only a Corphal may capture a Corphal/"
growled one of the chiefs who had fled from the
chambers of O-Mai.

I"Gos laughed. “Terror turned your heart to
water,” he replied; “and shame your tongue to
libel. This be no Corphal, but only a woman of
Helium; her companion a warrior who can match
blades with the best of you and cut out your putrid
hearts. Not so in the days of I-Gos' youth. Ah,
then were there men in Manator. Well do I recall
that day that I ”

“Peace, doddering fool!” commanded 0-Tar.
“Where is the man?”

“Where I found the woman — in the death
chamber of O-Mai. Let your wise and brave
chieftains go thither and fetch him. I am an old
man, and could bring but one.”

“You have done well, I-Gos,” 0-Tar hastened
to assure him, for when he learned that Gahan
might still be in the haunted chambers he wished
to appease the wrath of I-Gos, knowing well the
vitriolic tongue and temper of the ancient one.
“You think she is no Corphal, then, I-Gos?” he
asked, wishing to carry the subject from the man
who was still at large.

“No more than you,” replied the ancient tax-
idermist.

O-Tar looked long and searchingly at Tara of
Helium. All the beauty that was hers seemed sud-

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

tienly to be carried to every fibre of his conscious-
ness. She was still garbed in the rich harness of
a Black Princess of Jetan, and as O-Tar the Jeddak
gazed upon her he realized that never before had
his eyes rested upon a more perfect figure — a more
beautiful face.

‘‘ She is no Corphal,” he murmured to himself.
‘‘ She is no Corphal and she is a princess — a prin-
cess of Helium, and, by the golden hair of the
Holy Hekkador, she is beautiful. Take the gag
from her mouth and release her hands,'* he com-
manded aloud. ‘‘ Make room for the Princess Tara
of Helium at the side of O-Tar of Manator. She
shall dine as becomes a princess.”

Slaves did as O-Tar bid and Tara of Helium
stood with flashing eyes behind the chair that was
offered her. “Sit!” commanded O-Tar.

The girl sank into the chair. “I sit as a pris-
oner,” she said; “not as a guest at the board of
my enemy, O-Tar of Manator.”

O-Tar motioned his followers from the room.

I would speak alone with the Princess of Helium,”
he said. The company and the slaves withdrew
and once more the Jeddak of Manator turned
toward the girl. “O-Tar of Manator would be
your friend,” he said.

Tara of Helium sat with arms folded upon her
small, firm breasts, her eyes flashing from behind
narrowed lids, nor did she deign to answer his

THE CHARGE OF COWARDICE 333-

overture. 0-Tar leaned closer to her. He noted
the hostility of her bearing and he recalled his first
encounter with her. She was a she-banth, but she
was beautiful. She was by far the most desirable
woman that O-Tar had ever looked upon and he
was determined to possess her. He told her so.

“ I could take you as my slave,” he said to her ;
‘‘but it pleases me to make you my wife. You
shall be Jeddara of Manator. You shall have
seven days in which to prepare for the great honor
that O-Tar is conferring upon you, and at this hour
of the seventh day you shall become an empress
and the wife of O-Tar in the throne room of the
jeddaks of Manator.” He struck a gong that stood
beside him upon the table and when a slave ap-
peared he bade him recall the company. Slowly
the chiefs filed in and took their places at the table.
Their faces were grim and scowling, for there was
still unanswered the question of their jeddak’s
courage. If O-Tar had hoped they would forget
he had been mistaken in his men.

O-Tar arose. “In seven days,” he announced,
“there will be a great feast in honor of the new
Jeddara of Manator,” and he waved his hand toward
Tara of Helium. “ The ceremony will occur at the
beginning of the seventh zode‘ in the throne room.
In the meantime the Princess of Helium will be
cared for in the tower of the women’s quarters of

lAbout 8:30 P. M. Earth time.

834

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

the palace. Conduct her thither, E-Thas, with a
suitable guard of honor and see to it that slaves
and eunuchs be placed at her disposal, who shall
attend upon all her wants and guard her carefully
from harm.”

Now E-Thas knew that the real meaning con-
cealed in these fine words was that he should con-
duct the prisoner under a strong guard to the
women’s quarters and confine her there in the tower
for seven days, placing about her trustworthy guards
who would prevent her escape or frustrate any at-
tempted rescue.

As Tara was departing from the chamber with
E-Thas and the guard, O-Tar leaned close to her
ear and whispered: ‘‘Consider well during these
seven days the high honor I have offered you, and
— its sole alternative.” As though she had not
heard him the girl passed out of the banquet hall,
her head high and her eyes straight to the front.

After Ghek had left him Gahan roamed the pits
and the ancient corridors of the deserted portions of
the palace seeking some clue to the whereabouts or
the fate of Tara of Helium. He utilized the spiral
runway in passing from level to level until he knew
every foot of it from the pits to the summit of the
high tower, and into what apartments it opened at
the various levels as well as the ingenious and hidden
mechanism that operated the locks of the cleverly

THE CHARGE OF COWARDICE 335

concealed doors leading to it For food he drew
upon the stores he found in the pits and when he
slept he lay upon the royal couch of O-Mai in the
forbidden chamber, sharing the dais with the dead
foot of the ancient jeddak.

In the palace about him seethed, all unknown to
Gahan, a vast unrest. Warriors and chieftains pur-
sued the duties of their vocations with dour faces,
and little knots of them were collecting here and
there and with frowns of anger discussing some
subject that was uppermost in the minds of all. It
was upon the fourth day following Tara’s incarcera-
tion in the tower that E-Thas, the major-domo of
the palace and one of O-Tar’s creatures, came to
his master upon some trivial errand. O-Tar was
alone in one of the smaller chambers of his per-
sonal suite when the major-domo was announced,
and after the matter upon which E-Thas had come
was disposed of the jeddak signed him to remain.

‘‘From the position of an obscure warrior I
have elevated you, E-Thas, to the honors of a chief.
Within the confines of the palace your word is
second only to mine. You are not loved for this,
E-Thas, and should another jeddak ascend the
throne of Manator what would become of you,
whose enemies are among the most powerful of
Manator?”

“ Speak not of it, O-Tar,” begged E-Thas.
"These last few days I have thought upon it much

B36 the chessmen OF MARS

and I would forget it; but I have sought to appease
the wrath of my worst enemies. I have been very
kind and indulgent with them.’'

‘‘ You, too, read the voiceless message in the air ?
demanded the jeddak.

E-Thas was palpably uneasy and he did not reply.

‘‘ Why did you not come to me with your appre-
hensions?” demanded O-Tar. ‘‘Be this loyalty?”

“I feared, O mighty jeddak!” replied E-Thas.
“I feared that you would not understand and that
you would be angry.”

“What know you? Speak the whole truth!”*
commanded O-Tar.

“ There is much unrest among the chieftains and
the warriors,” replied E-Thas. “Even those who
were your friends fear the power of those who speak
against you.”

“What say they?” growled the jeddak.

“ They say that you are afraid to enter the apart-
ments of O-Mai in search of the slave Turan — oh,
do not be angry with me, Jeddak; it is but what
they say that I repeat. I, your loyal E-Thas, believe
no such foul slander.”

“No, no; why should I fear?” demanded O-Tar.
“We do not know that he is there. Did not my
chiefs go thither and see nothing of him?”

*‘But they say that you did not go,” pursued
E-Thas, “ and that they will have none of a coward
upon the throne of Manator.”

THE CHARGE OF COWARDICE 337

‘^‘They said that treason?” 0-Tar almost shouted
They said that and more, gFeat jeddak,”
answered the major-domo. “They said that not
only did you fear to enter the chambers of 0-Mai,
but that your feared the slave Turan, and they blame
you for your treatment of A-Kor, whom they all
believe to have been murdered at your command.
They were fond of A-Kor and there are many
now who say aloud that A-Kor would have made
a wondrous jeddak.”

“They dare?” screamed 0-Tar. “They dare
suggest the name of a slave's bastard for the throne
of O-Tar!”

“He is your son, O-Tar,” E-Thas reminded him,
“nor is there a more beloved man in Manator — I
but speak to you of facts which may not be ignored,
and I dare do so because only when you realize the
truth may you seek a cure for the ills that draw
about your throne.”

O-Tar had slumped down upon his bench — sud-
denly he looked shrunken and tired and old.
“Cursed be the day,” he cried, “that saw those
three strangers enter the city of Manator. Would
that U-Dor had been spared to me. He was
strong — my enemies feared him; but he is gone — -
dead at the hands of that hateful slave, Turan; may
the curse of Issus be upon him ! ”

“My jeddak, what shall we do? ” begged E-Thas.
^‘Cursing the slave will not solve your problems,”

338 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

“But the great feast and the marriage is but
three days off/’ plead O-Tar. “ It shall be a great
gala occasion. The warriors and the chiefs all know
that — it is the custom. Upon that day gifts and
honors shall be bestowed. Tell me, who are most
bitter against me? I will send you among them^
and let it be known that I am planning rewards for
their past services to the throne. We will make
jeds of chiefs and chiefs of warriors, and grant them
palaces and slaves. Eh, E-Thas?”

The other shook his head. “It will not do,
O-Tar. They will have nothing of your gifts or
honors. I have heard them say as much.”

“What do they want?” demanded O-Tar.

“They want a jeddak as brave as the bravest,”
replied E-Thas, though his knees shook as he said it.

“They think I am a coward?” cried the jeddak.

“ They say you are afraid to go to the apartments
of O-Mai the Cruel.”

For a long time O-Tar sat, his head sunk upon
his breast, staring blankly at the floor.

“Tell them,” he said at last in a hollow voice
that sounded not at all like the voice of a great
jeddak; “tell them that I will go to the chambers
of O-Mai and search for Turan the slave.”

CHAPTER XXI

A RISK FOR LOVE

Y, EY, he is a craven and he called me ‘dod-
dering fooP The speaker was I-Gos and
he addressed a knot of chieftains in one of the
chambers of the palace of O-Tar, Jeddak of Man-
ator: ‘‘If A-Kor was alive there were a jeddak
for us ! ’’

“ Who says that A-Kor is dead ? ’’ demanded one
®f the chiefs.

“Where is he then?’’ asked I-Gos. “Have not
others disappeared whom O-Tar thought too well
beloved for men so near the throne as they?”

The chief shook his head. “And I thought that,
or knew it, rather; I’d join U-Thor at The Gate of
Enemies.”

“S-s-st,” cautioned one; “here comes the licker
of feet,” and all eyes were turned upon the ap-
proaching E-Thas.

“Kaor, friends!” he exclaimed as he stopped
among them, but his friendly greeting elicited
naught but a few surly nods. “ Have you heard the
news?” he continued, unabashed by treatment to
which he was becoming accustomed.

“What — has O-Tar seen an ulsio and fainted?”
demanded I-Gos with broad sarcasm.

339

340 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Men have died for less than that, ancient one,’*
E-Thas reminded him.

am safe,” retorted I-Gos, ‘‘for I am not a
brave and popular son of the jeddak of Manator.”

This was indeed open treason, but E-Thas feigned
not to hear it. He ignored I-Gos and turned to the
others. “ 0-Tar goes to the chamber of O-Mai this
night in search of Turan the slave,” he said. “He
sorrows that his warriors have not the courage for
so mean a duty and that their jeddak is thus com-
pelled to arrest a common slave,” with which taunt
E-Thas passed on to spread the word in other parts
of the palace. As a matter of fact the latter part
of his message was purely original with himself,
and he took great delight in delivering it to the dis-
comfiture of his enemies. As he was leaving the
little group of men I-Gos called after him. “At
what hour does 0-Tar intend visiting the chambers
of O-Mai?” he asked.

“Toward the end of the eighth zodeV* replied
the major-domo, and went his way.

“ We shall see,” stated I-Gor

“ What shall we see ? ” asked a warrior.

“We shall see whether O-Tar visits the chamber
of O-Mai.”

“How?”

“I shall be there myself and if I see him I will
know that he has been there. If I don’t see him

>About 1:00 A. M. Earth Time.

^ RISK FOR LOVE

341

I will know that he has not,” explained the old
taxidermist.

‘‘Is there anything there to fill an honest man
with fear?” asked a chieftain. “What have you
seen? ”

“It was not so much what I saw, though that
was bad enough, as what I heard,” said I-Gos.

“Tell us! What heard>and saw you? ”

“ I saw the dead 0-Mai,” said I-Gos. The others
shuddered.

“And you went not mad ? ” they asked.

“Am I mad ? ” retorted I-Gos.

“And you will go again?”

“Yes.”

“ Then indeed you are mad,” cried one.

“You saw the dead 0-Mai; but what heard you
that was worse?” whispered another.

“ I saw the dead 0-Mai lying upon the floor of his
sleeping chamber with one foot tangled in the sleep-
ing silks and furs upon his couch. I heard horrid
moans and frightful screams.”

“And you are not afraid to go there iagain?”
demanded several.

“ The dead cannot harm me,” said I-Gos. “ He
has lain thus for five thousand years. Nor can a
sound harm me. I heard it once and live — I can
hear it again. It came from almost at my side where
I hid behind the hangings and watched the slave
Turan before I snatched the woman away from him.”

342 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

“ I-Gos, you are a very brave man/' said a chief-
tain.

‘"O-Tar called me ‘doddering fool' and I would
face wor^e dangers than lie in the forbidden cham-
bers of 0-Mai to know it if he does not visit the
chamber of O-Mai. Then indeed shall O-Tar fall ! "

The night came and the zodes dragged and the
time approached when O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator,
was to visit the chamber of O-Mai in search of the
slave Turan. To us, who may doubt the existence
of malignant spirits, his fear may seem unbelievable,
for he was a strong man, an excellent swordsman,
and a warrior of great repute; but the fact re-
mained that O-Tar of Manator was nervous with
apprehension as he strode the corridors of his palace
toward the deserted halls of O-Mai and when he
stood at last with his hand upon the door that opened
from the dusty corridor to the very apartments them-
selves he was almost paralyzed with terror. He had
come alone for two very excellent reasons, the first
of which was that thus none might note his terror-
stricken state nor his defection should he fail at the
last moment, and the other was that should he ac-
complish the thing alone or be able to make his
chiefs believe that he had, the credit would be far
greater than were he to be accompanied by warriors.

But though he had started alone he had become
aware that he was being followed, and he knew that
it was because his people had no faith in either his

A RISK FOR LOVE

343?

courage or his veracity. He did not believe that he
would find the slave Turan. He did not very much
want to find him, for though 0-Tar was an excellent
swordsman and a brave warrior in physical combat,
he had seen how Turan had played with U-Dor and
he had no stomach for a passage at arms with one
whom he knew outclassed him.

And so 0-Tar stood with his hand upon the
door — afraid to enter; afraid not to. But at last
his fear of his own warriors, watching behind him,
grew greater than the fear of the unknown behind
the ancient door and he pushed the heavy skeel aside
and entered.

Silence and gloom and the dust of centuries lay
heavy upon the chamber. From his warriors he
knew the route that he must take to the horrid
chamber of O-Mai and so he forced his unwilling
feet across the room before him, across the room
where the jetan players sat at their eternal game,
and came to the short corridor that led into the
room of O-Mai. His naked sword trembled in his
grasp. He paused after each forward step to listen
and when he was almost at the door of the ghost-
haunted chamber, his heart stood still within his
breast and the cold sweat broke from the clammy
skin of his forehead, for from within there came to
his affrighted ears the sound of muffled breathing.
Then it was that 0-Tar of Manator came near to
fleeing from the nameless horror that he could not

344

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

see, but that he knew lay waiting for him in that
chamber just ahead. But again came the fear of
the wrath and contempt of his warriors and his
chiefs. They would degrade him and they would
slay him into the bargain. There was no doubt of
what his fate would be should he flee the apartments
of 0-Mai in terror. His only hope, therefore, lay
in daring the unknown in preference to the known.

He moved forward. A few steps took him to the
doorway. The chamber before him was darker than
the corridor, so that he could but indistinctly make
out the objects in the room. He saw a sleeping
dais near the center, with a darker blotch of some-
thing lying on the marble floor beside it. He moved
a step farther into the doorway and the scabbard
of his sword scraped against the stone frame. To
his horror he saw the sleeping silks and furs upon
the central dais move. He saw a figure slowly aris-
ing to a sitting posture from the death bed of 0-Mai
the Cruel. His knees shook, but he gathered all
his moral forces, and gripping his sword more
tightly in his trembling fingers prepared to leap
across the chamber upon the horrid apparition. He
hesitated just a moment. He fett eyes upon him —
ghoulish eyes that bored through the darkness into
his withering heart — -eyes that he could not see.
He gathered himself for the rush — and then there
broke from the thing upon the couch an awful
shriek, and 0-Tar sank senseless to the floor.

A RISK FOR LOVE

^45

Gahan rose from the couch of O-Mai, smiling,
only to swing quickly about with drawn sword as
the shadow of a noise impinged upon his keen ears
from the shadows behind him. Between the parted
hangings he saw a bent and wrinkled figure. It was
I-Gos.

“ Sheathe your sword, Turan,” said the old man.

You have naught to fear from I-Gos.”

“ What do you here ? ” demanded Gahan.

‘‘ I came to make sure that the great coward did
not cheat us. Ey, and he called me ‘doddering
fool but look at him now ! Stricken insensible by
terror, but, ey, one might forgive him that who had
heard your uncanny scream. It all but blasted my
own courage. And it was you, then, who moaned
and screamed when the chiefs came the day that I
stole Tara from you? ”

“It was you, then, old scoundrel?” demanded
Gahan, moving threateningly toward I-Gos.

“Come, come!” expostulated the old man; “it
was I, but then I was your enemy. I would not
do it now. Conditions have changed.”

“How have they changed? What has changed
them ? ” asked Gahan.

“ Then I did not fully realize the cowardice of my
jeddak, or the bravery of you and the girl. I am
an old man from another age and I love courage.
At first I resented the girfs attack upon me, but:
later I came to see the bravery of it and if won

346 rUE 'CHESSMEN OF MARS

my admiration, as have all her acts. She feared not
O-Tar, she feared not me, she feared not all the
warriors of Manator. And you ! Blood of a million
sires ! but how you fight ! I am sorry that I exposed
you at The Fields of Jetan. I am sorry that I
dragged the girl Tara back to O-Tar. I would make
amends. I would be your friend. Here is my
sword at your feet,” and drawing his weapon I-Gos
cast it to the floor in front of Gahan.

The Gatholian knew that scarce the most aban-
doned of knaves would repudiate this solemn pledge,
and so he stooped, and picking up the old man’s
sword returned it to him, hilt first, in acceptance of
his friendship.

‘‘Where is the Princess Tara of Helium?” asked
Gahan. “Is she safe?”

“ She is confined in the tower of the women’s
quarters awaiting the ceremony that is to make her
Jeddara of Manator,” replied T-Gos.

“This thing dared think that Tara of Heliurrt
would mate with him?” growled Gahan. “I will
make short work of him if he is not already dead
from fright,” and he stepped toward the fallen
O-Tar to run his sword through the jeddak’s heart.

“ No ! ” cried I-Gos. “ Slay him not and pray that
he be not dead if you would save your princess.”

“How is that? ” asked Gahan.

“If word of 0-Tar’s 'death reached the quarters
of the women the Princess Tara would be lost.

A RISK FOR LOVE

34?

They know 0-Tar ’s intention of taking her to wife
and making her Jeddara of Manator, so you may
rest assured that they all hate her with the hate of
jealous women. Only 0-Tar’s power protects her
now from harm. Should 0-Tar die they would turn
her over to the warriors and the male slaves, for
there would be none to avenge her.”

Gahan sheathed his sword. ‘‘Your point is well
taken; but what shall we do with him?”

“Leave him where he lies,” counseled I-Gos.
“He is not dead. When he revives he will return
to his quarters with a fine tale of his bravery and
there will be none to impugn his boasts — none but
I-Gos. Come! he may revive at any moment and
he must not find us here.”

I-Gos crossed to the body of his jeddak, knelt be-
side it for an instant, and then returned past the
couch to Gahan. The two quit the cham-
ber of O-Mai and took, their way toward the spiral
runway. Here I-Gos led Gahan to a higher level
and out upon the roof of that portion of the palace
from where he pointed to a high tower quite close
by. “ There,” he said, “ lies the Princess of Helium,
and quite safe she will be until the time of the
ceremony.”

“ Safe, possibly, from other hands, but not from
her own,” said Gahan. “ She will never become
Jeddara of Manator —first will she destroy herself.”

“ She would do that ? ” asked I-Gos.

348 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

** She will, unless you can get word to her that I
still live and that there is yet hope,” replied Gahan.

‘‘I cannot get word to her,” said I-Gos. ‘'The
quarters of his women O-Tar guards with jealous
hand. Here are his most trusted slaves and war-
riors, yet even so, thick among them are countless
spies, so that no man knows which be which. No
shadow falls within those chambers that is not
marked by a hundred eyes.”

Gahan stood gazing at the lighted windows of the
high tower in the upper chambers of which Tara
of Helium was confined. “ I will find a way, I-Gos/^
he said.

“ There is no way,” replied the old man.

For some time they stood upon the roof beneath
the brilliant stars and hurtling moons of dying Mars,
laying their plans against the time that Tara of
Helium should be brought from the high tower to
the throne room of O-Tar. It was then, and then
alone, argued I-Gos, that any hope of rescuing her
might be entertained. Just how far he might trust
the other Gahan did not know, and so he kept to
himself the knowledge of the plan that he had for-
warded to Floran and Val Dor by Ghek, but he
assured the ancient taxidermist that if he were sin-
cere in his oft-repeated declaration that O-Tar
should be denounced and superseded he would have
his opportunity on the night that the jeddak sought
to wed the Heliumetic princess.

A RISK FOR LOVE

349

“Your time shall come then, I-Gos,” Gahan as-
sured the other, “and if you have any party that
thinks as you do, prepare them for the eventuality
that will succeed 0-Tar’s presumptuous attempt to
wed the daughter of The Warlord. Where shall I
see you again, and when? I go now to speak with
Tara, Princess of Helium.”

“I like your boldness,” said I-Gos; “but it will’
avail you naught. You will not speak with Tara,
Princess of Helium, though doubtless the blood of
many Manatorians will drench the floors of the
women’s quarters before you are slain.”

Gahan smiled. “ I shall not be slain. Where and
when shall we meet? But you may find me in
O-Mai’s chamber at night. That seems the safest
retreat in all Manator for an enemy of the ieddak
in whose palace it lies. I go ! ”

“ And may the spirits of your ancestors surround
you,” said I-Gos.

After the old man had left him Gahan made his
way across the roof to the high tower, which ap-
peared to have been constructed of concrete and
afterward elaborately carved, its entire surface being
covered with intricate designs cut deep into the
stone-like material of which it was composed.
Though wrought ages since, it was but little
weather-worn owing to the aridity of the Martian
atmosphere, the infrequency of rains, and the rarity
of dust storms. To scale it, though, presented dif-

350

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

ficulties and danger that might have deterred the
bravest of men — that would, doubtless, have de-
terred Gahan, had he not felt that the life of the
woman he loved depended upon his accomplishing
the hazardous feat.

Removing his sandals and laying aside all of his
harness and weapons other than a single belt sup-
porting a dagger, the Gatholian essayed the danger-
ous ascent. Clinging to the carvings with hands and
feet he worked himself slowly aloft, avoiding the
windows and keeping upon the shadowy side of the
tower, away from the light of Thuria and Cluros.
The tower rose some fifty feet above the roof of
the adjacant part of the palace, comprising five
levels or floors with windows looking in every di-
rection. A few of the windows were balconied, and
these more than the others he sought to avoid, al-
though, k being now near the close of the ninth
zode, there was little likelihood that many were
'awake within the tower.

His progress was noiseless and he came at last,
undetected, to the windows of the upper level.
These, like several of the others he had passed at
lower levels, were heavily barred, so that there was
no possibility of his gaining ingress to the apart-
ment where Tara was confined. Darkness hid the
interior behind the first window that he approached.
The second opened upon a lighted chamber where
he could see a guard sleeping at his post outside a

^ RISK FOR LOVE

351'

door. Here also was the top of the runway leading
to the next level below. Passing still farther around
the tower Gahan approached another window, but
now he clung to that side of the tower which ended
in a courtyard a hundred feet below and in a short
time the light of Thuria would reach him. He real-^
ked that he must hasten and he prayed that behind
the window he now approached he would find Tara)
of Helium.

Coming to the opening he looked in upon a small
chamber dimly lighted. In the center was a sleep-
ing dais upon which a human form lay beneath
silks and furs. A bare arm, protruding from the
coverings, lay exposed against a black and yellow
striped orluk skin — an arm of wondrous beauty
about which was clasped an armlet that Gahan knew.
No other creature was visible within the chamber,
all of which was exposed to Gahan’s view. Press-
ing his face to the bars the Gatholian whispered
her dear name. The girl stirred, but did not
awaken. Again he called, but this time louder.
Tara sat up and looked about and at the same
instant a huge eunuch leaped to his feet from where
he had been lying on the floor close by that side
of the dais farthest from Gahan. Simultaneously ‘
the brilliant light of Thuria flashed full upon the
window where Gahan clung silhouetting him plainly
to the two within.

Both sprang to thei/ feet. The eunuch drew his

352 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

sword and leaped for the window where the helpless
Gahan would have fallen an easy victim to a single
thrust of the murderous weapon the fellow bore,
had not Tara of Helium leaped upon her guard
dragging him back. At the same time she drew the
slim dagger from its hiding place in her harness and
even as the eunuch sought to hurl her aside its keen
point found his heart. Without a sound he died
and lunged forward to the floor. Then Tara ran
to the window.

“Turan, my chief!” she cried. ‘‘What awful
risk is this you take to seek me here, where even
your brave heart is powerless to aid me.”

“ Be not so sure of that, heart of my heart,” he
replied. “While I bring but words to my love,
they be the forerunner of deeds, I hope, that will
give her back to me forever. I feared that you
might destroy yourself, Tara of Helium, to escape
the dishonor that 0-Tar would do you, and so
I came to give you new hope and to beg that you
live for me through whatever may transpire, in the
knowledge that there is yet a way and that if all
goes well we shall be freed at last. Look for me
in the throne room of O-Tar the night that he would
wed you. And now, how may we dispose of this
fellow ? ” He pointed to the dead eunuch upon the
floor.

“We need not concern ourselves about that,” she
replied. “None dares harnr me for fear of the

A RISK FOR LOVE

3531

wrath of O-Tar — otherwise I should have been
dead so soon as ever I entered this portion of the
palace, for the women hate me, O-Tar alone may
punish me, and what cares O-Tar for the life of a
eunuch? No, fear not upon this score.”

Their hands were clasped between the bars and
now Gahan drew her nearer to him.

‘‘One kiss,” he said, “before I go, my princess,”
and the proud daughter of Dejah Thoris, Princess
of Helium, and The Warlord of Barsoom whis-
pered : “ My chieftain ! ” and pressed her lips to the
lips of Turan, the common panthan.

CHAPTER XXII

AT THI^ MOM^T 0^ MARRIAGE

The silence of the tomb lay heavy about him
as O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator, opened his
eyes in the chamber of O-Mai. Recollection of the
frightful apparition that had confronted him swept
to his consciousness. He listened, but heard naught.
Within the range of his vision there was nothing ap-
parent that might cause alarm. Slowly he lifted his
head and looked about. Upon the floor beside the
couch lay the thing that had at first attracted his
attention and his eyes closed in terror as he recog-
nized it for what it was; but it moved not, nor
spoke. O-Tar opened his eyes again and rose to
his feet. He was trembling in every limb. There
was nothing on the dais from which he had seen
the thing arise.

O-Tar backed slowly from the room. At last he
gained the outer corridor. It was empty. He did
not know that it had emptied rapidly as the loud
scream with which his own had mingled had broken
upon the startled ears of the warriors who had been
sent to spy upon him. He looked at the timepiece
set in a massive bracelet upon his left forearm. The
ninth zode was nearly half gone. O-Tar had lain
354

’AT THE MOMENT OF MARRIAGE -355

for an hour unconscious. He had spent an hour in
the chamber of O-Mai and he was not dead! He
had looked upon the face of his predecessor and
was still sane! He shook himself and smiled.
Rapidly he subdued his rebelliously shaking nerves,
so that by the time he reached the tenanted portion
of the palace he had gained control of himself.
He walked with chin high and something of a
swagger. To the banquet hall he went, knowing
that his chiefs awaited him there and as he entered
they arose and upon the faces of many were in-
credulity and amaze, for they had not thought to
see O-Tar the jeddak again after what the spies had
told them of the horrid sounds issuing from the
chambers of O-Mai. Thankful was O-Tar that he
had gone alone to that chamber of fright, for now
no one could deny the tale that he should tell.

E-Thas rushed forward to greet him, for E-Thas
had seen black looks directed toward him as the
tals slipped by and his benefactor failed to return.

O brave and glorious jeddak! ” cried the major-
domo. ‘‘We rejoice at your safe return and beg
of you the story of your adventure.”

“It was naught,” exclaimed O-Tar. “I searched
the chambers carefully and waited in hiding for the
return of the slave, Turan, if he were temporarily
away; but he came not. He is not there and I
doubt if he ever goes there. Few men would choose
to remain long in such a dismal place.”

356 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

“ You were not attacked ? ” asked E-Thas. “ You
heard no screams, nor moans?”

‘‘ I heard hideous noises and saw phantom figures ;
but they fled before me so that never could I lay
hold of one, and I looked upon the face of O-Mai
and I am not mad. I even rested in the chamber
beside his corpse.”

In a far corner of the room a bent and wrinkled
old man hid a smile behind a golden goblet of strong
brew.

‘‘ Come ! Let us drink ! ” cried 0-Tar and reached
for the dagger, the pommel of which he was accus-
tomed to use to strike the gong which summoned
slaves, but the dagger was not in its scabbard.
O-Tar was puzzled. He knew that it had been
there just before he entered the chamber of O-Mai,
for he had carefully felt of all his weapons to make
sure that none was missing. He seized instead a
table utensil and struck the gong, and when the
slaves came bade them bring the strongest brew for
O-Tar and his chiefs. Before the dawn broke many
were the expressions of admiration bellowed from
drunken lips — admiration for the courage of their
jeddak; but some there were who still looked glum.

Came at last the day that O-Tar would take the
Princess Tara of Helium to wife. For hours slaves
prepared the unwilling bride. Seven perfumed baths
occupied three long and weary hours, then her whole

AT THE MOMENT OF MARRIAGE 357

body was anointed with the oil of pimalia blossoms
and massaged by the deft fingers of a slave from
distant Dusar. Her harness, all new and wrought
for th& occasion, was of the white hide of the great
white apes of Barsoom, hung heavily with platinum
and diamonds — fairly encrusted with them. The
glossy mass of her jet hair had been built into a!
coiffure of stately and becoming grandeur, into
which diamond-headed pins were stuck until the
whole scintillated as the stars in heaven upon a
moonless night.

But it was a sullen and defiant bride that they led
from the high tower toward the throne room of
O-Tar. The corridors were filled with slaves and
warriors, and the women of the palace and the city
who had been commanded to attend the ceremony.
All the power and pride, wealth and beauty of
Manator were there.

Slowly Tara, surrounded by a heavy guard of
honor, moved along the marble corridors filled with
people. At the entrance to The Hall of Chiefs
E-Thas, the major-domo, received her. The Hall
was empty except for its ranks of dead chieftains
upon their dead mounts. Through this long cham-
ber E-Thas escorted her to the throne room which
also was empty, the marriage ceremony in Manator
differing from that of other countries of Barsoom.
Here the bride would await the groom at the foot
of the steps leading to the throne. The guests fol-

358 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

lowed her in and took their places, leaving the central
aisle from The Hall of Chiefs to the throne clear,
for up this O-Tar would approach his bride alone
after a short solitary communion with the dead be-
hind closed doors in The Hall of Chiefs. It was
the custom.

The guests had all filed through The Hall of
Chiefs; the doors at both ends had been closed.
Presently those at the lower end of the hall opened
and O-Tar entered. His black harness was orna-
mented with rubies and gold; his face was covered
by a grotesque mask of the precious metal in which
two enormous rubies were set for eyes, though below
them were narrow slits through which the wearer
could see. His crown was a fillet supporting carved
feathers of the same metal as the mask. To the
least detail his regalia was that demanded of a
royal bridegroom by the customs of Manator, and
now in accordance with that same custom he came
alone to The Hall of Chiefs to receive the blessings
and the council of the great ones of Manator who
had preceded him.

As the doors at the lower end of the Hall closed
behind him O-Tar the Jeddak stood alone with the
great dead. By the dictates of ages no mortal eye
might look upon the scene enacted within that sacred
chamber. As the mighty of Manator respected the
traditions of Manator, let us, too, respect those
traditions of a proud and sensitive people. Of what

AT THE MOMENT OF MARRIAGE 359

concern to us the happenings in that solemn chamber
of the dead?

Five minutes passed. The bride stood silently
at the foot of the throne. The guests spoke to-
gether in low whispers until the room was filled with
the hum of many voices. At length the doors lead-
ing into The Hall of Chiefs swung open, and the
resplendent bridegroom stood framed for a moment
in the massive opening. A hush fell upon the wed-
ding guests. With measured and impressive step
the groom approached the bride. Tara felt the
muscles of her heart contract with the apprehension
that had been growing upon her as the coils of Fate
settled more closely about her and no sign came
from Turan. Where was he? What, indeed, could
he accomplish now to save her ? Surrounded by the
power of O-Tar with never a friend among them,
her position seemed at last without vestige of hope.

‘‘I still live!” she whispered inwardly in a last
brave attempt to combat the terrible hopelessness
that was overwhelming her, but her fingers stole for
reassurance to the slim blade that she had managed
to transfer, undetected, from her old harness to the
new. And now the groom was at her side and tak-
ing her hand was leading her up the steps to the
throne, before which they halted and stood facing
the gathering below. Came then, from the back of
the room a procession headed by the high dignitary
whose office it was to make these two man and wife,

36o the chessmen OF MARS

and directly behind him a richly-clad youth bearing
a silken pillow on which lay the golden handcuffs
connected by a short length of chain-of-gold with
which the ceremony would be concluded when the
dignitary clasped a handcuff about the wrist of each
symbolizing their indissoluble union in the holy
bonds of wedlock.

Would Turan’s promised succor come too late?
Tara listened to the long, monotonous intonation
of the wedding service. She heard the virtues of
O-Tar extolled and the beauties of the bride. The
moment was approaching and still no sign of Turan.
But what could he accomplish should he succeed in
reaching the throne room, other than to die with
her? There could be no hope of rescue.

The dignitary lifted the golden handcuffs from
the pillow upon which they reposed. He blessed
them and reached for Tara’s wrist. The time had
come ! The thing could go no further, for alive or
dead, by all the laws of Barsoom she would be the
wife of O-Tar of Manator the instant the two were
locked together. Even should rescue come then
or later she could never dissolve those bonds and
Turan would be lost to her as surely as though
death separated them.

Her hand stole toward the hidden blade, but in-
stantly the hand of the groom shot out and seized
her wrist. He had guessed her intention. Through
the slits in the grotesque mask she could see his

:4T THE MOMENT OF MARRIAGE 361

eyes upon her and she guessed the sardonic smile
that the mask hid. "For a tense moment the two
stood thus. The people below them kept breathless
silence for the play before the throne had not passed
unnoticed.

Dramatic as was the moment it was suddenly
rendered trebly so by the noisy opening of the doors
leading to The Hall of Chiefs. All eyes turned in
the direction of the interruption to see another figure
framed in the massive opening — a half-clad figure
buckling the half-adjusted harness hurriedly in
place — the figure of O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator.

‘‘ Stop ! ’’ he screamed, springing forward along
the aisle toward the throne. “ Seize the impostor ! ’’

All eyes shot to the figure of the groom before
the throne. They saw him raise his hand and
snatch off the golden mask, and Tara of Helium in
wide-eyed incredulity looked up into the face of
Turan the panthan.

“Turan, the slave,” they cried then. ‘‘Death to
him ! Death to him ! ”

“Wait!” shouted Turan, drawing his sword, as
a dozen warriors leaped forward.

“Wait!” .screamed another voice, old and
cracked, as I-Gos, the ancient taxidermist, sprang
from among the guests and reached the throne steps
ahead of the foremost warriors.

At sight of the old man the warriors paused, for
age is held in great veneration among the peoples

362 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

of Barsoom, as is true, perhaps, of all peoples whose
religion is based to any extent upon ancestor wor-
ship. But O-Tar gave no heed to him, leaping
instead swiftly toward the throne. “ Stop, coward ! ”
cried I-Gos.

The people looked at the little old man in amaze-
ment. ‘‘Men of Manator,” he cackled in his thin,
shrill voice, ‘‘wouldst be ruled by a coward and a
liar ? ’’

‘‘ Down with him ! shouted O-Tar.

Not until I have spoken,” retorted I-Gos. It
is my right. If I fail my life is forfeit — that you
all know and I know. I demand therefore to be
heard. It is my right ! ”

“It is his right,” echoed the voices of a score
of warriors in various parts of the chamber.

“ That O-Tar is a coward and a liar I can prove,”
continued I-Gos. “He said that he faced bravely
the horrors of the chamber of O-Mai and saw noth-
ing of the slave Turan. I was there, hiding behind
the hangings, and I saw all that transpired. Turan
had been hiding in the chamber and was even then
lying upon the couch of O-Mai when O-Tar, trem-
bling with fear, entered the room. Turan, disturbed,
arose to a sitting position at the same time voicing
a piercing shriek. O-Tar screamed and swooned.”

“ It is a lie ! ” cried O-Tar.

“ It is not a lie and I can prove it,” retorted I-Gos.
“Didst notice the night that he returned from the

^AT THE MOMENT OF MARRIAGE 363

chambers of 0-Mai and was boasting of his exploit,
that when he would summon slaves to bring wine he
reached for his dagger to strike the gong with its
pommel as is always his custom? Didst note that,
any of you? And that he had no dagger? O-Tar,
where is the dagger that you carried into the cham-
ber of 0-Mai? You do not know; but I know.
While you lay in the swoon of terror I took it from
your harness and hid it among the sleeping silks
upon the couch of 0-Mai. There it is even now, and
if any doubt it let them go thither and there they
will find it and know the cowardice of their jeddak.”

“But what of this impostor?” demanded one.
“ Shall he stand with impunity upon the throne of
Manator whilst we squabble about our ruler?”

“ It is through his bravery that you have learned
the cowardice of O-Tar,” replied I-Gos, “and
through him you will be given a greater jeddak.”

“ We will choose our own jeddak. Seize and slay
the slave ! ” There were cries of approval from all
parts of the room. Gahan was listening intently, as
though for some hoped-for sound. He saw the
warriors approaching the dais, where he now stood
with drawn sword and with one arm about Tara
of Helium. He wondered if his plans had miscar-
ried after all. If they had it would mean death for
him, and he knew that Tara would take her life if
he fell Had he, then, served her so futilely after
all his efforts?

364 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Several warriors were urging the necessity for
sending at once to the chamber of 0-Mai to search
for the dagger that would prove, if found, the cow-
ardice of 0-Tar. At last three consented to go.

You need not fear,’' I-Gos assured them. ‘‘ There
is naught there to harm you. I have been there
often of late and Turan the slave has slept there
for these many nights. The screams and moans
that frightened you and O-Tar were voiced by
Turan to drive you away from his hiding place.”
Shamefacedly the three left the apartment to search
for O-Tar’ s dagger.

And now the others turned their attention once
more to Gahan. They approached the throne with
bared swords, but they came slowly for they had
seen this slave upon the Field of Jetan and they
knew the prowess of his arm. They had reached
the foot of the steps when from far above there
sounded a deep boom, and another, and another,
and Turan smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.
Perhaps, after all, it had not come too late. The
warriors stopped and listened as did the others in
the chamber. Now there broke upon their ears a
loud rattle of musketry and it all came from above
as though men were fighting upon the roofs of the
palace.

“What is it?” they demanded, one of the other.

“ A great storm has broken over Manator,” said
one.

^AT THE MOMENT OF MARRIAGE 365

‘‘Mind not the storm until you have slain the
creature who dares stand upon the throne of your
jeddak,” demanded O-Tar. “ Seize him ! ''

Even as he ceased speaking the arras behind the
throne parted and a warrior stepped forth upon
the dais. An exclamation of surprise and dismay
broke from the lips of the warriors of O-Tar.
“U-Thor!"’ they cried. “What treason is this?”

“ It is no treason,” said U-Thor in his deep voice.
“ I bring you a new jeddak for all of Manator. No
lying poltroon, but a courageous man whom you all
love.”

He stepped aside then and another emerged from
the corridor hidden by the arras. It was A-Kor,,
and at sight of him there rose exclamations of sur-
prise, of pleasure, and of anger, as the various fac-
tions recognized the coup d'etat that had been
arranged so cunningly. Behind A-Kor came other
warriors until the dais was crowded with them — all
men of Manator from the city of Manatos.

O-Tar was exhorting his warriors to attack, when
a bloody and disheveled padwar burst into the cham-
ber through a side entrance. “ The city has fallen ! ”
he cried aloud. “The hordes of Manatos pour
through The Gate of Enemies. The slaves from
Gathol have arisen and destroyed the palace guards.
Great ships are landing warriors upon the palace
roof and in the Fields of Jetan. The men of Helium
and Gathol are marching through Manator. They

366 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

cry aloud for the Princess of Helium and swear to
leave Manator a blazing funeral pyre consuming
the bodies of all our people. The skies are black
with ships. They come in great processions from
the east and from the south.”

And then once more the doors from The Hall of
Chiefs swung wide and the men of Manator turned
to see another figure standing upon the threshold —
a mighty figure of a man with white skin, and black
hair, and gray eyes that glittered now like points of
steel and behind him The Hall of Chiefs was filled
with fighting men wearing the harness of far coun-
tries. Tara of Helium saw him and her heart leaped
in exultation, for it was John Carter, Warlord of
Barsoom, come at the head of a victorious host to
the rescue of his daughter, and at his side was Djor
Kantos to whom she had been betrothed.

The Warlord eyed the assemblage for a moment
before he spoke. ‘‘Lay down your arms, men of
Manator,” he said. “I see my daughter and that
she lives, and if no harm has befallen her no blood
need be shed. Your city is filled with the fighting
men of U-Thor, and those from Gathol and from
Helium. The palace is in the hands of the slaves
from Gathol, beside a thousand of my own warriors
who fill the halls and chambers surrounding this
room. The fate of your jeddak lies in your own
hands. I have no wish to interfere. I come only
for my daughter and to free the slaves from Gathol.

AT THE MOMENT OF MARRIAGE 3^

I have spoken!’’ and without waiting for a reply
and as though the room had been filled with his
own people rather than a hostile band he strode u^p
the broad main aisle toward Tara of Helium.

The chiefs of Manator were stunned. They
looked to 0-Tar; but he could only gaze helplessly
about him as the enemy entered from The Hall of
Chiefs and circled the throne room until they had
surrounded the entire company. And then a dwar
of the army of Helium entered.

“We have captured three chiefs,” he reported
to The Warlord, “ who beg that they be permitted
to enter the throne room and report to their fellows
some matter which they say will decide the fate
of Manator.”

“ Fetch them,” ordered The Warlord.

They came, heavily guarded, to the foot of the
steps leading to the throne and there they stopped
and the leader turned toward the others of Manator
and raising high his right hand displayed a jeweled
dagger. “We found it,” he said, “even where
I-Gos said that we would find it,” and he looked
menacingly upon O-Tar.

“ A-Kor, Jeddak of Manator!” cried a voice, and
the cry was taken up by a hundred hoarse-throated
warriors.

“ There can be but one jeddak in Manator,” said
the chief who held the dagger; his eyes still fixed
upon the hapless O-Tar he crossed to where the

THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Matter stood and holding the dagger upon an out-
stretched palm proffered it to the discredited ruler.
‘‘There can be but one jeddak in Manator,” he re-
peated meaningly.

O-Tar took the proffered blade and drawing him-
self to his full height plunged it to the guard into
his breast, in that single act redeeming himself in
the esteem of his people and winning an eternal
place in The Hall of Chiefs.

As he fell all was silence in the great room, to
be broken presently by the voice of U-Thor.
“ O-Tar is dead ! ” he cried. “ Let A-Kor rule until
the chiefs of all Manator may be summoned to
choose a new jeddak. What is your answer?”

“ Let A-Kor rule ! A-Kor, Jeddak of Manator ! ”
The cries filled the room and there was no dissent-
ing voice.

A-Kor raised his sword for silence. “It is the
will of A-Kor,” he said, “and that of the Great
Jed of Manatos, and the commander of the fleet
from Gathol, and of the illustrious John Carter,
Warlord of Barsoom, that peace lie upon the city
of Manator and so I decree that the men of
Manator go forth and welcome the fighting men
of these our allies as guests and friends and
show them the wonders of our ancient city and the
hospitality of Manator. I have spoken.” And
U-Thor and John Carter dismissed their warriors
and bade them accept the hospitality of Manator.

AT THE MOMENT OF MARRIAGE 369

As the room emptied Djor Kantos reached the side
of Tara of Helium. The girl’s happiness at rescue
had been blighted by sight of this man whom her
virtuous heart told her she had wronged. She
dreaded the ordeal that lay before her and the dis-
honor that she must admit before she could hope
to be freed from the understanding that had for long
existed between them. And now Djor Kantos ap-
proached and kneeling raised her fingers to his lips.

“Beautiful daughter of Helium,” he said, “how
may I tell you the thing that I must tell you — of
the dishonor that I have all unwittingly done you?
I can but throw myself upon your generosity for
forgiveness; but if you demand it I can receive the
dagger as honorably as did O-Tar.”

“What do you mean?” asked Tara of Helium.
“What are you talking about — why speak thus in
riddles to one whose heart is already breaking?”

Her heart already breaking ! The outlook was
anything but promising, and the young padwar
wished that he had died before ever he had had to
speak the words he now must speak.

“ Tara of Helium,” he continued, “ we all thought
you dead. For a long year have you been gone
from Helium. I mourned you truly and then, less
than a moon since, I wed with Olvia Marthis.” He
stopped and looked at her with eyes that might have
said : “ Now, strike me dead ! ’’

“Oh, foolish man!” cried Tar^. “Nothing you

370 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

could have done could have pleased me more. Djor
Kantos, I could kiss you!”

“ I do not think that Olvia Marthis would mind,”
he said, his face now wreathed with smiles. As
they spoke a body of men had entered the throne
room and approached the dais. They were tall men
trapped in plain harness, absolutely without orna-
mentation. Just as their leader reached the dais
Tara had turned to Gahan, motioning him to join
them.

Djor Kantos,” she said, “ I bring you Turan the
panthan, whose loyalty and bravery have won my
love.”

John Carter and the leader of the new come war-
riors, who were standing near, looked quickly at the
little group. The former smiled an inscrutable
smile, the latter addressed the Princess of Helium.
‘‘ ‘ Turan the panthan!’” he cried. ‘‘Know you
not, fair daughter of Helium, that this man you call
panthan is Gahan, Jed of Gathol?”

For just a moment Tara of Helium looked her
surprise; and then she shrugged her beautiful shoul-
ders as she turned her head to cast her eyes over
one of them at Gahan of Gathol.

“Jed or panthan,” she said; “what difference
does it make what one’s slave has been?” and she
laughed roguishly into the smiling face of her lover.

His story finished, John Carter rose from the

AT THE MOMENT OF MARRIAGE 371

chair opposite me, stretching his giant frame like
some great forest-bred lion.

“You must go?” I cried, for I hated to see him
leave and it seemed that he had been with me but
a moment.

“The sky is already red beyond those beautiful
hills of yours,” he replied, “and it will soon be
day.”

“Just one question before you go,” I begged.

“ Well ? ” he assented, good-naturedly.

“ How was Gahan able to enter the throne room
garbed in 0-Tar’s trappings?” I asked.

“It was simple — for Gahan of Gathol,” replied
The Warlord. “With the assistance of I-Gos he
crept into The Hall of Chiefs before the ceremony,
while the throne room and Hall of Chiefs were va-
cated to receive the bride. He came from the pits
through the corridor that opened behind the arras
at the rear of the throne, and passing into The Hall
of Chiefs took his place upon the back of a rider-
less thoat, whose warrior was in I-Gos’ repair room.
When O-Tar entered and came near him Gahan fell
upon him and struck him with the butt of a heavy
spear. He thought that he had killed him and was
surprised when O-Tar appeared to denounce him.”

“And Ghek? What became of Ghek?” I in-
sisted.

“After leading Val Dor and Floran to Tara’s dis-
abled llier, which they repaired, he accompanied

372 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

them to Gathol, from where a message was sent to
me in Helium. He then led a large party including
A-Kor and U-Thor from the roof, where our ships
landed them, down a spiral runway into the palace
and guided them to the throne room. We took him
back to Helium with us, where he still lives, with
his single rykor which we found all but starved to
death in the pits of Manator. But come ! No more
questions now.’’

I accompanied him to the east arcade where the
red dawn was glowing beyond the arches.

‘‘Good-bye!” he said.

“I carl scarce believe that it is really you,” I
exclaimed. “Tomorrow I will be sure that I have
dreamed all this.”

He laughed and drawing his sword scratched a
rude cross upon the concrete of one of the arches.

“If you are in doubt tomorrow,” he said, “come
and see if you dreamed this.”

A moment later he was gone.

JETAN, OR MARTIAN CHESS

For those who <vare for such things, and would
like to try the game, I give the rules of Jetan
as they were given me by John Carter. By writ-
ing the names and moves of the various pieces on
bits of paper and pasting them on ordinary checker-
men the game may be played quite as well as with
the ornate pieces used upon Mars.

THE BOARD: Square board consisting of one
hundred alternate black and orange squares.

THE PIECES: In order, as they stand upon
the board in the first row, from left to right of
each player.

Warrior: 2 feathers; 2 spaces straight in any
direction or combination.

Padwqr: 2 feathers; 2 spaces diagonal in any
direction or combination.

Dwar: 3 feathers; 3 spaces straight in any di-
rection or combination.

Flier: 3 bladed propellor; 3 spaces diagonal in
any direction or combination; and may jump inter-
vening pieces.

Chiefs Diadem with ten jewels; 3 spaces in any
direction; straight or diagonal or combination.

373

374 THE CHESSMEN OF MARS

Prindess: Diadem with one jewel; same as
Chief, except may jump intervening pieces.

Flier: See above.

Dwar: See above.

Padwar: See above.

Warrior: See above.

And in the second row from left to right :

Thoat: Mounted warrior 2 feathers; 2 spaces,
one straight and one diagonal in any direction.

Panthans (8 of them) : i feather; i space, for-
ward, side, or diagonal, but not backward.

Thoat: See above.

The game is played with twenty black pieces by
one player and twenty orange by his opponent, and
is presumed to have originally represented a battle
between the Black race of the south and the Yellow
race of the north. On Mars the board is usually
arranged so that the Black pieces are played from
the south and the Orange from the north.

The game is won when any piece is placed on
same square with opponent’s Princess, or a Chief
takes a Chief.

The game is drawn when either Chief is taken
by a piece other than the opposing Chief, or when
both sides are reduced to three pieces, or less, of
equal value and the game is not won in the ensuing
ten moves, five apiece.

The Princess may not move onto a threatened
square, nor may she take an opposing piece. She

JETAN, OR MARTIAN CHESS 375

is entitled to one ten-space move at any time during
the game. This move is called the escape.

Two pieces may not occupy the same square ex-
cept in the final move of a game where the Princess
is taken.

When a player, moving properly and in order,
places one of his pieces upon a square occupied by
an opponent piece, the opponent piece is considered
to have been killed and is removed from the game.

The moves explained. Straight moves mean due
north, south, east, or west; diagonal moves mean
northeast, southeast, southwest, or northwest. A
Dwar might move straight north three spaces, or
north one space and east two spaces, or any similar
combination of straight moves, so long as he did
not cross the same square twice in a single move.
This example explains combination moves.

The first move may be decided in any way that
is agreeable to both players ; after the first game the
winner of the preceding game moves first if he
chooses, or may instruct his opponent to make the
first move.

Gambling: The Martians gamble at Jetan in sev-
eral ways. Of course the outcome of the game in*
dicates to whom the main stake belongs; but they
also put a price upon the head of each piece, accord-
ing to its value, and ^or each piece that a player
loses he pays its value to his oppone^Tt

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RIFLED GOLD W. C. Tuttle

TEXAS SHERIFF Edward Cunningham

RENEGADE RIDERS Claude Rister

RIDERS OF THE CHAPARRAL George B. Rodney

VALLEY OF ADVENTURE Jackson Gregory

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